


Teaching Love

by Missheartofglass



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Dani is a new teacher, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Jamie is a gardener working at the school, Modern AU, No ghosts AU, Slow Burn, Struggles with Addiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:34:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29149806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missheartofglass/pseuds/Missheartofglass
Summary: Dani is a new teacher at Bly Primary, and with the expected nerves that come with a new surrounding, what she least expects is to be antagonised by a mischievous female gardener.Enemies to Lovers AU -When it all started, Miss Clayton had never despised someone as much as Jamie Taylor. The woman was no more than a rowdy disturbance to her school day, existing on the pure premise of aggravating her. Jamie seemed to find an unusual sense of joy in making Dani squirm with frustration, thrived off taking mental notes in hope to remember precisely how to rile up the young teacher and receive the reaction she desired.Yet, little did Miss Clayton know, that one day, the boisterous young gardener would become the greatest blessing of her life…
Relationships: Dani Clayton & Jamie, Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 34
Kudos: 171





	1. It’s a small town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani’s first day at Bly Primary is disturbed by a rather aggravated Jamie Taylor.

When it all started, Miss Clayton had never despised someone as much as Jamie Taylor. The woman was no more than a rowdy disturbance to her school day, existing on the pure premise of aggravating her. Jamie seemed to find an unusual sense of joy in making Dani squirm with frustration, thrived off taking mental notes in hope to remember precisely how to rile up the young teacher and receive the reaction she desired.

Yet, little did Miss Clayton know, that one day, the boisterous young gardener would become the greatest blessing of her life…

-

Our story begins on a miserable September morning in the quant town of Bly. Dani Clayton, an optimistic American teacher, had not yet known of the existence of Jamie Taylor, the gardening troublemaker working begrudgingly at the school.

As the young blonde made her way to the teachers lounge, folders clasped tight under each armpit, ready for her first day, she had only but glanced at the ruffled brown lochs that whipped passed her aggressively in a hurried blur. 

“Good morning to you too,” she huffed to herself rhetorically. Her chest tightening with nerves as she set eyes on the accumulation of unfamiliar staff members made visible by the slim stretch of glass of the door a few feet in front of her.

“I’ll help you with that,” a young gentlemen offered from behind, his thick black moustache shadowing his friendly expression. As he leant forward to push open the entrance, he introduced himself as Owen, a name Dani would soon refer to as a friend. 

“Miss Clayton, right?” The man queried. 

“Yes, Dani – Dani Clayton,” she confirmed.

Entering the staff lounge for the first time was both terrifying and exhilarating. An abundance of welcoming smiles greeted her, introductions were made softly, in such a short amount of time, Dani had never felt so perfectly in place in all her years. 

Hannah was a close friend of Owen’s, Rebecca a woman her age, and Viola seemed to be a chic mix of stern and comforting, a boss she hoped to soon impress. Once the blonde was settled, relaxed in an old greyish arm chair, new friends amongst her chattered, and as the last few teachers scurried into the room, sounds started to muffle under Viola’s want for their attention. 

“Now, there are a few new things to talk about this morning, before we start getting ready for the children who come in tomorrow,” the tall slender woman began with a smile, “firstly, I’d like to introduce Dani Clayton, a young teacher from across the pond, she will be taking on our year 4 class.”

Dani sat up stiff as the room’s eyes drew to her, she blushed a nervous shade of pink as the people surrounding her welcomed her once again. The air seemed to lighten magically once Hannah put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, the blonde was stunned by how remedying such willing kindness could be.

“Unfortunately, our new teacher is also concerned in the next topic of discussion,” Viola shot an apologetic look her way before continuing, “it took the board all summer to confirm the plans for the new garden and patio,” a harmonious groan engulfed the room, a unity of frustration which Dani found herself curious of, “which means building only started last week, and will continue to go on for the rest of term.”

“Why does this concern me?” Dani asked Owen worriedly.

“They’re building the patio right outside your classroom,” he began in a whisper, “gonna be a bit loud, quite the disturbance, unfortunately.”

The blonde tensed her muscles as that familiar strong sense of anxiety crept back into her limbs, she gave off a convincing smile as she let the voice of the headteacher muffle into her subconscious. 

Moving to England was a giant leap, a stark contrast to her home in Iowa, she had grasped onto individuality and determination, quickly found comfort in the sweet haven of Bly. Miraculously, she found a permanent placement as a teacher just two months after her move, now able to live comfortably on a regular wage and capable of affording the rent of her small flat in the centre of town. A slight gardening disturbance was unlikely to defeat her now, only something absolutely horrendous would be capable of knocking this rejuvenated Dani Clayton out of place. 

“I’ll show you to your classroom love,” Hannah hummed, bringing the young blonde out of her mindful daze. 

“Thank you,” Dani spoke softly, allowing the older woman to lead her out of the lounge and though the corridor to a previously undiscovered part of the building, “do you know how many children will be in class tomorrow?” 

“Only 9,” Hannah chuckled, “it’s a rather small town.”

“It’s beautiful,” the woman admired in her American-dreaming glee, finding she was already quite fond of the town that’s rapidly beginning to feel like home. 

“Here we are dear,” Mrs Grose announced as she opened up the door which Dani would soon be familiar with. 

The blonde let her eyes absorb the spacious classroom, admiring how light cascaded through the row of led framed windows to her left. She noted the construction sight that was ever expanding just outside the glass, but pushed the animosity to a dark crevice of her mind as she grinned, hopeful, exploring her room with bulging eyes. There were pinboards bare of notices, beckoning her to decorate, and pristine white walls that only enhanced the sunlight and spread rejoice to the books and chairs. A desk awaited her presence, dark wood oozing with sophistication, and she couldn’t resist the delighted squeal that escaped her gaping mouth as she breathed it all in. 

“It’ll look even better with the view of the gardens soon,” Hannah suggested, amused by the young woman’s animation. 

“I can’t wait for the kids to get here,” Dani confessed, glancing up to match the older woman’s smile as they locked eyes.

“Once you’re settled, come back down to the staff room, Owen will have lunch ready for us before we start with admin,” she brushed her thumb over Dani’s knuckles with motherly concern and then bid a sweet farewell, the early autumn breeze sounding harshly as she exited, leaving the blonde alone. 

In the absence of another’s eyes, Miss Clayton couldn’t help but run eagerly around the classroom, roaming its space and exploring all of its possibilities as her mind formed ideas of ways to get the children to decorate in the forthcoming days. After containing her excitement to the best of her ability, she returned to the folders she had dropped carelessly on her desk, started to rearrange her papers and read the small hand out she had been given withholding information on the ancient PC that sat rigid on the desktop’s wood. 

The content hum of a happy tune was interrupted by a harsh knock on the window. Startled, Dani shot her eyes up in response to the interruption, then was met with an aggravated glare from the female gardener outside. She stumbled helplessly to open the window, trying make clear of the shouting she was being bombarded with. 

“We were told this pavement wasn’t in need of repair,” the woman abruptly stated, questioning eyes eager for Dani to answer. 

“You can’t plant flowers in pavement, right?” Dani attempted to split the opaque air with a joke, against her better judgment. 

“American,” the brunette tutted, somehow aggravated simply by the origin of Dani’s accent.

“Iowa,” the blonde grinned, unaware of the English frustration spitting from the other woman's mouth.

“The pavement? Are we taking all this lot up or not?” The gardener practically hissed. 

“Uhm, I don’t know, my first day,” Dani bit her lip in a sorry smile, feeling immensely hopeless.

“Care to find someone who can answer my questions, Miss Iowa?” Brown hair blew onto plump lips as she spoke with ever-growing frustration. 

“Miss Clayton, Dani Clayton,” the teacher corrected, still pathetically attempting to disintegrate the hostility of the interaction with a smile.

The gardener stared at her, unimpressed, had now lost all appropriate effort to form coherent words, aggressively raising her eyebrows with her question instead. With that, Dani scurried away with an apology, in search for Viola, or Hannah, or anyone that could make the woman’s stare a little less intimidating. 

Returning shortly after, with Viola by her side, Dani tapped on the fragile window softly, in need of the gardeners attention. 

“Jamie? What’s the problem?” Viola asked, irritated. 

So the spiteful woman had a name - one that Dani hoped to not hear much of as the term progressed. Jamie’s interaction was no less abrupt with Viola, she rolled her eyes in obvious acknowledgement as the headteacher guided her on what to do. The blonde stood helplessly watching the women converse, let her eyes roam the architecture of the gardeners chiselled jaw as she spoke with increasing tension and aggravation. 

“All done here, Dani?” Viola turns her attention to the anxious American stood beside her, receives a shy nod in response before guiding them out of the classroom and back down the hall, “let me know if you have any problems with that one, she can be a bit-”

“Rude?” Dani interrupts, letting out a breathless chuckle with her speech. 

“Dani’s met Jamie,” Owen assumes, unintentionally eavesdropping on the two women in conversation, “she’s harmless, really.”

“You know her?” Dani enquires. 

“It’s a small town,” Owen mimics Hannah’s mantra from earlier on, “we went to school together.”

The blonde nods in confirmation, a little unsettled by how everyone around here seems to know one another. Growing up she had kept to herself, not even aware of her neighbours name, nor of anyone who didn’t go to her school or church. Eddie had always patronised and encouraged her to engage with new people, one of the many things he pushed Dani to do whilst suffocating her in a hypnosis of young love. Maybe knowing people could be nice, something new - newness was the driving force of Miss Clayton’s move to Bly, after all. 

“Admin time!” Owen exclaimed with faux enthusiasm, retracting groans from both Hannah and Rebecca who were huddled up waiting in the staff lounge for others to arrive. 

“Someone promised us lunch first,” Hannah declared teasingly, raising her brow bone at the man stood before her. 

-

Dani had learnt three valuable lessons during her first day at Bly Primary – Owen was a fabulous cook, Bly was a very small town, and she was not, at all, fond of Jamie Taylor. 

Understandably, Miss Clayton was much more nervous for her second day of work, for day number two entailed meeting her students for the very first time. Alas, there were only 9 of them, and they were probably just as sweet as everyone else she had met thus far in Bly, but the young teacher had never taught British children before. Does she reward them with Tea and not juice? Should she stand on the left side of the room instead of the right? Two valid questions, amongst many others in her pondering mind, as she anticipated their arrival at 8:30am. 

Hannah had given her fabulous tips beforehand, ways that she could interact more personally with the children. Owen had insisted that she bring her class early for lunch, persuade them of her kindness by enlightening them with the first picks of his ‘back-to-school cuisine’. Rebecca, the most relaxed of the bunch, had persistently told her not to be worried and, thankfully, she was quickly proved correct, as Dani’s pupils scurried in her classroom bright and early with excitable grins and enthusiastic greetings. 

“Good morning guys,” with the first release of her accent came a bombard of interested questions, young minds intrigued by such a foreign sound, “I’m Miss Clayton, I’m from America, and I am very excited to meet you all.”

She smiled warmly in response to a sweet girl who shot her hand up politely with desire to speak, “I’m Flora!” The child spurted out joyously as her teeth shone in a grin, gleaming white in reflection to the autumn sun and crisp white walls. 

“Hello, Flora,” Miss Clayton chuckled, “how about we all take a seat, and then you can tell me all of your names?” 

The children did as they were told at a prompt pace, forming in a semi circle on the carpet bellow her, an accommodating, casual, set up - no need for civil tables and chairs just yet. All 9 students shouted their names at the new teacher confidently, youthful fascination smothering their questions as they asked them at a rapid-fire speed.

Once Dani had gotten all of the silly queries out of the way, most inquiries consisting of fondness of her originality, she rounded the children up in groups of three and encouraged them to create artwork for the classroom. The excitable natter of young voices entertained her conscious as she logged onto the computer, but, soon enough, a roaring sound of machinery drowned out all her senses and invaded the room aggressively. 

Peering up to see cause of the disturbance set her suspicions straight, her eyes met a sight that she had been wishing to avoid until further notice – Jamie Taylor, right outside her window.

“Alright Miss Iowa?” Jamie teased through the slight crack of an open window. 

“Do you insist on calling me that?” Dani huffed, annoyance evident in her tone as she approached the pane of glass that separated her from the disgustingly sweaty gardener. 

“I can pick a new nickname?” The brunette chuckled as she stopped to delve into her thoughts, “Poppins,” she finished with a wink. 

“I don’t get it,” Dani sighed, confused. 

“Of course ya don’t,” a roll of greenish eyes, “now I suggest you close these windows, gonna be making quite a racket, and Viola told me to play nice, so.”

“These Windows are older than me,” Dani whined, “can’t you find something else to do until the kids are outside at break?”

Jamie winced in aggravation, her teasing manner dissolving under Dani’s hopeful eyes, “not aloud to use the machines whilst the kids are outside,” after stating their predicament, the gardener twirled on her heels and returned to work after nudging the window closed.

Miss Clayton hardly had the time to pull her fingers away from the windows spiteful shut, a groan of wound up tension escaped her lips as she ensured the rest were closed tight. 

Flora piped up at the sound of Dani’s upset, “are you alright Miss Clayton?”

“All good sweetheart,” the teacher chimed back, displaying her best effort at a high-spirited expression.

“My uncle says that when boys are mean to girls, it’s because they like them,” the child states innocently, “maybe, Jamie likes you?”

Dani can’t help the profound giggle from invading her body at the thought, though a strike of an unwelcome panic tampered with her demeanour as a reminder of her hidden desires. Taking a moment to glance back outside, she is comforted by how Jamie is now out of sight, her muscles contract erratically in attempt to control her emotions. With a few steadying blinks, Dani retuned to assist her students, pushing all unnecessary commotion away as her body cringed with vexation whilst the sound of heavy machinery clanged outside, echoing harshly in the cold morning air. 

-

“Those kids are gonna eat her up,” Jamie chuckled as she nestled a warm cup of tea between her mud-ridden palms. 

“Come off it, they’re angels,” Owen groaned in response, watching as Dani and Hannah played with and entertained the gaggle of young children amongst them on the playground. 

“It’s only her first lunch time and she’s already had an injury,” the gardener teased. 

Owen scowled the woman beside him, confused by how he still allows himself to disbelieve Jamie’s sarcastic ignorance, “that’s because you left tools right outside her door, mate.”

Jamie shrugged her shoulders, “she should’ve been paying more attention,” a laugh forms giddily as she watches Dani wince in pain at her injured leg. 

It had been unintentional - at least that’s what Jamie insisted. She had mindlessly left a few spades outside Dani’s entrance and forgotten about them, then, unfortunately, the blonde had also been unaware of their presence, therefore causing an injury after falling over them - with little dignity - as 9 worried children watched on with concern. The teacher had almost sworn in frustration, not only at the pain, but with the knowledge of exactly who had caused it. 

Wasn’t bullying reserved for the children in this sweet English primary school? To think of it, Miss Clayton wasn’t entirely sure if the word ‘bullying’ even existed in the humble town of Bly. That was, until, she had caught a glimpse of Jamie’s smirk, followed by an unapologetic cackle, as she removed the tools from the children’s path and mocked her silly.

“Isn’t it a little... strange?” Jamie asked Owen, devilish curiosity coating her words. 

Owen quirked a brow, confused, in need of elaboration. 

“Pretty, young, blonde American, qualified to teach, unmarried, turning up in Bly of all places - seemingly alone,” the brunette pushes her suspicion, the grown man beside her is entirely disinterested, “come on, it’s a little weird, right?”

“I guess it could be,” Owen sighs, “though she doesn’t look like somebody that would have much to run away from.”

Miss Clayton, in fact, had a terrible abundance of things she was running away from. Not only was she in agonising need to escape the prison of her mother, her relationship, the watchful eyes glaring at her from all angles in Idaho, she had too been running from a version of herself she could no longer muster up the effort to maintain. She was running from Danielle Clayton, timid, owned - straight. The young woman was sprinting towards freedom, towards hope, that maybe, somewhere, she could be precisely who she needed herself to be. 

Running had landed her in the location of Bly, amongst new friends and budding children - a rather intrigued gardener, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!! <3


	2. Wake up call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani’s peaceful second week of work is interrupted by Jamie’s impatience for children. The blonde discovers her new neighbour too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really appreciate the positive response to the first chapter! I hope this second one lives up to your expectations ;)

Miss Clayton’s first week at Bly Primary was definitely the most successful 5 days of her professional life. The young teacher had made good friends in Owen and Hannah, impressed her boss on numerous occasions, and managed to keep all 9 of her buzzing students in check. 

Thus far, Dani hadn’t had many issues, despite her few run-ins with the boisterous gardener. She started off week 2 with a spring in her step, a newfound confidence engulfing her happy demeanour. Of course, not all good things can last forever, the laws of the universe had to create some trouble alas, and, of course, Jamie Taylor was to be the source of it. 

“Oh, hello Miss Clayton,” Owen greeted, a little surprised to find her in the teachers lounge in the middle of the school day.

Dani was attentive to his questioning tone of words, “the children have PE,” she conferred. 

“Ah, very well,” the older gentlemen sighed, taking a bottle of water out of the fridge to then sip at the cool refreshing liquid. 

Hannah was also present in the room, her own class at swimming lessons just down the road, the three adults settled comfortably in one another’s company, and soon the older lady had some gossip to drop into the atmosphere, “did you hear that Grace is back in town?”

Owens ears perked up, his eyebrows following suit as his face displayed another look of surprise, “does Jamie know?”

At the mention of the gardener, Dani’s interest spiked, “whose Grace?” An innocent question at that. 

Hannah chuckled, obviously quite entertained by Miss Clayton’s lack of knowledge, “Jamie’s ex girlfriend.”

The title made the blonde gulp, as of now she was unaware of Jamie’s sexuality. Not that she had a problem, her of all people had no place to judge. A strange unwelcome anxiety invaded her blushed cheeks, memories of stolen glances and suppressed feelings wiping her conscious as the other adults continued to speak. 

An offer of a cup of tea took her out of her trance, though, as she glanced at the time, she passed on the offer and readied herself to collect the children from outside. With a gentle farewell, she left the pair to natter, and made her way briskly down the hall towards the door. 

“Miss Clayton!” One of Dani’s pupils shouted from the end of the corridor, Billy, the troublemaker of the bunch. 

The teacher was on the brink of telling him off, questioning him on why he found himself alone in the building whilst he should be outside, with anger on her tongue, she bit it back quick, noticing the redness of the boys eyes and the glistening wetness on his cheeks, “what’s the matter Billy?” 

“I didn’t mean to get in the way,” he sputtered, his tears flowing harsher under the watchful eye of the young woman, “I promise I didn’t.”

Dani didn’t have to question who he was babbling about, her eyes drew to the muscular physique of the female gardener, smoothing some soil just outside the glass door. After patting him on the knee affectionately, the blonde warmed the child to stay put, then made her way outside. 

“What is your problem?” Miss Clayton practically hissed, her volume low though her anger remaining very present. 

“Little shit walked on the soil,” Jamie shrugged back, a nonchalance to her tone that only infuriated the other woman more.

“I’d appreciate if you didn’t make any of my children cry again,” she ordered, clenching her fists at her hips and growing sensitive to the autumn sun that burned into her staring eyes. 

“Right,” the brunettes respond was increasingly unbothered than her last, yet the groan that followed her words had an obvious sound of annoyance as she looked down to see that the teacher had also made footprints in the freshly laid soil, “bitch,” she muttered to herself after Dani was out of sight. 

With the children gathered, and equipment put neatly aside, Miss Clayton stormed back past the gardener with 8 young feet trailing behind her. This time, she was kind enough to walk around the soil. 

“Everything okay?” Viola asked curiously, the young blonde’s look of distress noticeable from her place stood all the way at the other end of the hallway. 

“All good,” the blonde lied, yet as soon as she glanced back down at Billy, wiping away his last few tears and sniffling softly, she grew confused to why she hadn’t complained. 

-

“We’ve had a complaint,” Viola voiced sternly as she looked to the blonde sat uneasy on the other side of her desk. 

Miss Clayton had almost forgotten about the dispute from the day before, yet as soon as the headteacher had beckoned her to the office once the children had gone home, she knew precisely what the issue was. Her eyes bulged out on instinct, air trapped in her throat as she pondered on how to respond. 

“Did you know about Billy’s tears yesterday?” The woman questioned, eyebrows raised sympathetically as she tried her best to not overly intimidate the new teacher. 

“I, uhm,” before Dani could muster up an explanation, there was a knock at the opened door.

“Jamie,” Viola tutted, disappointed, “take a seat.”

“Been a while since I was called into this office,” the gardener chuckled, raising her eyebrows as she acknowledged the fragile blonde sitting beside her. 

“And I bet those visits were alike today’s,” the headteacher remarked, shutting up the cocky expression plastered on the brunettes grubby face. 

Miss Clayton tried her best to suppress a chuckle as she watched Jamie’s cheeks fall in distress. 

“This isn’t the first time you young ladies have had an altercation, is it?” The older woman asked rhetorically, receiving gentle ashamed nods from both women in front of her, “why is it that you swore at one of Miss Clayton pupils yesterday, Jamie?”

The brunette glanced a distasteful look at Dani, before responding with an uncharacteristic sense of timidity, “stepped on me soil.”

“A young boy stepped on your soil and you found it appropriate to scream profanities at him?” Viola’s tone increased in disbelief as she listened to the woman’s reasoning. 

“Wasn’t the only one either,” Jamie muttered, looking back at Dani as she hinted at the blonde’s own behaviour. 

“Miss Clayton, is there any reason you chose not to bring this to my attention?” Viola sighed. 

“I didn’t want to cause an issue,” the blonde justified. 

“Didn’t work out then did it,” the brunette beside her whispered with annoyance under her breath. 

“Jamie I gave you this job to keep you out of trouble, not to encourage you to create it,” the headteacher spoke with a motherly tone, the unknown history of their relationship catching Dani’s attention. 

Miss Clayton was quickly gathering proof that Bly is indeed a very small town, where everybody knows everybody, and others seem to know full well what those relationships entail. As she looked over to the brunette sat fidgeting beside her, she heard a soft apology and echoed one herself. After being lectured once again to attempt to get along, both women made their way away from the intense interaction and out of the office. 

“You told him to snitch on me?” Jamie accused, walking at a rapid pace towards the exit as Dani followed behind. 

“I did not,” the blonde retorted, instantly aware of her childlike tone.

As the two women entered the brisk afternoon air, the autumn sun started to set as the clock wound to 4pm. On any other occasion, with better company, Dani would appreciate the pink gradient surrounding white clouds, maybe she would have stopped to enjoy the refreshing breeze hitting her face and neck as she made her way to her car. 

The aggressive slam of Jamie’s truck door made the young blonde jump slightly, she rolled her eyes as she heard a distant chuckle coming from the brunette. Her intention had been to shoot at spiteful eye at the gardener, maybe even mouth words not worth repeating, but her glance met Jamie’s tensed jaw instead, as the brunette looked onward at the road. Miss Clayton gulped as a spike of warmth hit her gut whilst she looked fondly at the perfect curls and chiselled bone structure of the other woman, couldn’t help but let her eyes remain on seemingly soft vanilla skin as Jamie drove off into the distance. 

-

‘Bly is a small town’ had become a mantra, repeated by every soul she had met during her first two months in the country. Yet that repeated tail was not at fault as Miss Clayton arrived home that night, the sight she was greeted with was purely the result of a torturous coincidence. 

Whilst enamoured by the unquestionable charm of the gardener, Dani had too taken in the sight of the tatted beige truck that she drove. Sitting in the car park of her home, there was no disputing that that very same truck was the one parked beside her own car as she turned off her engine.

“You’re joking,” the young teacher sighed begrudgingly, looking up at the pub in which she lived above. 

Finding somewhere to live in Bly wasn’t as easy as finding a job, the town’s size meant that consequently there wasn’t much accommodation available. Living above the pub wouldn’t have been her first choice, nor her second or her third, but it was all she was able to afford, so she managed to look beyond the bustling drunks and roaring nights, and decided to call it home. 

Being the only pub in Bly, the building was rather large. Therefore, three small flats squeezed above it, and as of now Dani was only aware of herself and the landlord living there, the third resident being a mystery to unveil sooner or later. Glancing to her left and noticing a head of familiar brown curls, Miss Clayton wished she had never discovered this neighbour at all. 

After waiting in her car for endless minutes, deciding one altercation with the gardener was enough for that day, Dani finally made her way up the unsteady staircase leading up to her flat, relaxed her holding breath as she reached the top to see the corridor was empty. 

“Did you follow me home?” A noticeable voice questioned from behind. 

Clearly Dani’s attempt to avoid Jamie’s presence had failed, maybe she had too been waiting for the other woman to pass, perhaps ventured into the pub for a little while. 

“This is unbelievable,” Dani groaned, unlocking her door and holding all her might to keep her eyes fixed to the keys, resisting from allowing her eyeline to drift towards the smirk she had no doubt was on the other woman’s plump lips. 

“Bly is a small town,” the brunette responded, her words seeming profoundly scripted. 

“I’m figuring that out, yes,” the teacher grunted, pushing the creaking door open and swiftly entering the warmth of her flat. 

“Sweet dreams,” Jamie chuckled at her, watching the back of her silhouette disappear behind the door as it shut loudly. The gardener lingered for a moment, a picture of the other woman’s ass perked in tight black trousers remaining in her mind as she tried and struggled to blink it away. 

Miss Clayton had quickly managed to sleep through the nights of bustling energy beneath her in the pub, had enabled herself to sleep deeply throughout the nights as she slept alone for the first time in a century. The young woman took pride in the way she had become accustomed to the environment below her floors, yet this next morning her abilities seemed to fizzle, maybe due to the cold September air seeping though old led windows, yet most likely because of the shouting coming from the corridor outside.

“Jesus,” the blonde grunted, looking at the LED red light of her digital clock displaying the early time of 6am. School didn’t start until 8:45, another hour of sleep beckoned her sloping eyelids. 

The shouting, however, prevented her from continuing rest, and the recognisable raspy tone of a voice just beyond her front door only increased her tired frustration. 

“What are you doing here Grace?” echoed from the old brick walls in the hallway. 

“Please Jamie, just let me in!” An unfamiliar high pitched voice screeched back in desperation.

“I have to go to work,” Jamie whined back with aggression, Dani raised her eyebrows in retaliation, unaware of the woman’s differing work hours. 

Usually, Miss Clayton would’ve held a strong opposition to eavesdropping in on private conversations, though the painful volume of the shouts just beyond her slim wooden door forbade her from doing so. From the warmth of her bed, absorbed in soft new linen sheets, the blonde could hear every word of the interaction, alongside the growing annoyance in Jamie’s tone. It had become obvious only minutes into listening to the women that Jamie wanted nothing at all to do with her ex lover, on multiple occasions she had even blatantly said so. 

After at least 5 long drawn out minutes of discussion, the sounds of arguing voices muffled as the women descended the stairs. Absentmindedly, the blonde let herself wonder of her neighbours relationship, a strong emotion, feeling somewhat like jealousy, engulfed her rested muscles as she delved deeper into the logistics of Jamie’s life. The gardener had quite clearly had a significant connection with this unknown ‘Grace’, who was evidently familiar with the woman’s home, most likely familiar with the other most intimate aspects of Jamie too. 

Urgently wanting to avoid much more thought on the matter, Miss Clayton made her way to the bathroom, readying herself for the day much earlier than necessary. 

“You’re here early,” Jamie commented as she entered the staff room that morning in search for her first cup of tea. 

“Well, I was woken up,” Dani muttered back, nursing her own hot beverage in her palms as she skim read the newspaper laid on her lap. 

The gardener had no response to the teachers retaliation, seemed to lose all desire for a beverage and quickly left the blonde alone. There was a deafening silence engulfing Dani’s senses as she watched the brunette disappear into the corridor, yet it was rapidly interrupted by Owen’s friendly smile. 

“What’s up with her this morning?” He questioned innocently. 

Miss Clayton’s response was all too sudden and defensive to not seem suspicious, “I don’t know.”

“Right then,” he shrugged awkwardly, “she still annoyed about her telling off yesterday?”

“You know about that?” The blonde queried, confused and taken a back by the mans knowledge. 

“Yup,” his next words Dani had already predicted before they escaped out from under his moustache, “it’s a small town.”


	3. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani spends an evening alone, her mind travels to an unexpected place whilst doing so.  
> Drinks with colleagues gets a little tense, Jamie’s ex girlfriend makes an appearance.  
> The night concludes in the blonde confused, questioning all reasoning for her desires.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody in the previous chapter caught on to what I was doing with the whole neighbour thing. If you guys have read my ‘the shared bedroom wall’ fanfic, you’ll see a few similarities in the start of this chapter - though this is a lot less graphic, and a lot more emotional. 
> 
> So a slight smut warning, for just a short exploration of female masterbation. 
> 
> Please keep leaving comments! I love to read all the feedback, kudos and bookmarks are always appreciated too :) 
> 
> Hope all my readers are safe and well! Because I’m so nice, I’m publishing the second and third chapter on the same day!!

Miss Clayton had felt a newfound bliss from living alone, this being the first time she had done so in her 26 years of living. The freedom in being undisturbed gave her an array of unfamiliar perks, and, until now, being able to explore her sexuality had always been something she had shied away from. 

Living under the suffocating eye of Eddie had always caused her to feel tense, and laying in bed with him each night had created this dawning anticipation of unwanted touch. Yet now, in the comfort of her own home, with nobody around to mould her into somebody she’s not, touch seems to be the most magical and welcomed sense of all.

Unable to muster up the determination to clear her kitchen after dinner, Dani had found her way into bed earlier than usual. Though the young woman was not tired at all, in fact, she had never felt so awake. Her hand had slowly wandered underneath the waistband of her sweats, a heat beckoning her fingers to explore. 

Hesitation came with this adventure into unfamiliar territory, the wetness coating her fingers alighting a spark of excitement she had only ever felt whilst stealing short glances at enchanting women that passed her by.  
She glanced over at her laptop, settled close on her bedside table, considered opening it up and indulging in the web, in search for visuals to follow. However, pleasuring herself was unfamiliar enough, and the thought of creeping into adult videos and explicit imagery only intimidated her more. 

Muttering profanity under her breath as she familiarised her fingers with the heat in the apex of her thighs, Miss Clayton became the eager student of her most erotic lesson yet. Teetering herself towards an edge that she had so many times failed to pass, images of curvaceous femininity invaded her mind. 

Never alone, nor with her previous fiancé, had she gotten this close to release. Soon this subtle interest in unknown sensations became a subconscious challenge to surpass feelings at the peak of desire. The blonde beckoned her fingers, quickly learning what made her thighs buckle in that delightful way. Growing determined to make this night the night she would succeed in making herself feel that white hot pleasure she had witnessed Eddie fall into during unpleasant nights of intimacy. 

How her mind had reached the destination of Jamie Taylor – she did not know. Between imagining soft feminine features and undiscovered lust, a familiar brown head of hair washed over her vision. Miss Clayton almost stopped at the thought of the gardener whom she detests, though a sudden quickening of pulse that engulfed her fingers warned her not to do so. She let her mind ponder on the sharp jaw of the woman, the way her hips would flow effortlessly amongst machinery and soil, there was no avoiding her attraction tonight. 

“Fuck,” spoken into the air with unintentionally high volume. The slight creaking sound of her bed frame caught her attention in tandem with her words, though the blonde found herself not caring at all, as her walls trapped her fingers in place, and she absorbed herself in the very first orgasm of her life. 

-

Arriving at school the next morning almost felt wrong, Miss Clayton found herself questioning how all of these adults amongst her had experienced such intensity and were capable of continuing with everyday life. Silent prayers to not bump into the brunette were answered by a god she did not at all believe in, and after stumbling into the staff room, she was welcomed with sweet smiles of friendly faces. 

“Happy Friday, Miss Clayton,” Owen chuckled, exhaling a breath as the blonde sat beside him comfortably. 

“Are you busy this evening Dani?” Hannah asked sweetly. 

“I don’t have plans, no,” the blonde responded. 

“We thought we’d all go out for drinks tonight, do you know Bly Pub?”

Miss Clayton knew all too well about the pub, having never been there she was awfully familiar with its atmosphere and popularity. Though, she decided against discussing her living situation, assuming that her colleagues would be aware of Jamie’s already, avoiding any mention of the gardener was her mission for the day, so she settled with a polite, “yes”, instead.

After confirming their plans for the evening, the group distributed into their respective classrooms and started off their days. 

The blonde arrived in her room to discover a lack of workmen outside, she sighed, relieved, as she became aware that the disliked work-woman was also absent that morning. An abundance of light chatter and excitement filled the room as 9 happy children took their seats. Friday’s seemed to be the hardest of school days, managing to grip the children’s attention was a much more testing task so near to the weekend. 

“Good morning everybody,” the blonde smiled down at her students.

“Good morning Miss Clayton,” they all spoke back in unison. 

It being her third week at Bly Primary, you’d think the young teacher would be used to the British youth’s politeness, yet every morning as they greeted her sweetly, Miss Clayton found herself pleasantly surprised at their remaining kindness. She had assumed that, being a new interesting teacher, their hospitality would soon wear off, but despite her suspicions, each and every child remained as lovely as they were on the very first day. 

The universe of course had to balance out Dani’s fortunes, nobody on earth can enjoy the good without the bad. The young blonde was reminded of this by the gentle hum of a lawnmower in the distance, displaying a displeasing sight of the infamous brunette. 

Her throat dried with nerves as she watched the woman bob up and down on the machine, and her eyes bulged in worry as she considered Jamie’s presence at the pub. Hannah and Owen knew her well, they had all the right to invite her along, Dani hadn’t considered this until now.

-

Keeping away from the gardener was going well, having gotten through to lunchtime without any unwanted interaction, Miss Clayton was testing her luck by hovering so close to the building site whilst watching her class interact from a distance. 

“Alright?” 

The blonde froze in place, that voice was unfortunately becoming evermore familiar, it’s raspy tone and sarcastic underlay was now recognisable from a mile away. The woman stayed still, pretended to not hear the vouch of conversation in hope that Jamie would inevitably go away.

“It’s rude to not be neighbourly in England, ya know,” the brunette teased as she approached the teacher from behind. 

Dani shivered, the feeling of hot breath hitting the back of her neck before she turned around, “morning,” she greeted quietly. 

“You going out for drinks tonight then?” Jamie questioned, raising her eyebrows in a mocking expression before suggesting, “maybe we could walk down together?”

The blonde only rolled her eyes in response. 

“Will I see you there, Poppins?” The woman continued to tease. 

“Yes,” the teacher grunted back at the use of the nickname, annoyance coating the blunt words, “why’re you talking to me?” 

“Was bored,” she laughed. 

Watching the way Jamie tilted her head back in response to her own sardonic humour made Miss Clayton simultaneously annoyed and aroused. She quickly diverted her eyes away from the clenched jaw of the other woman, wishful that these provocative thoughts would shun themselves away. The sound of a childish dispute pulled her attention, her conscious filling with teacher-duties of ensuring the students were behaving. 

Before Miss Clayton could run far away from her playground rival, the woman called out her name. She turned around to see a distasteful smirk on sun glazed lips.

“The walls are thin, by the way,” Jamie’s cheeked heightened as her grin enlarged. 

Choking on air, the blonde’s eyes expanded as she blushed, embarrassed, knowing full well what the gardener was confirming – she had heard Dani, alongside her creeping bed, the night before. 

-

The short journey home from school consisted of overwhelming conflicting thoughts. Miss Clayton was unsure if she could bare to be in Jamie’s presence after the entirely awkward revelation, though bailing on her new friends and colleagues seemed like an unpleasant, juvenile, thing to do. Deciding on making a short and sweet appearance down in the pub, the woman convinced herself out of her car and up the exasperating stair case. 

Thankfully, this time, the corridor was actually empty.

With only an hour and a half to spruce up her appearance, the young woman showered and dressed accordingly for the night out with organised pace. As she sat looking at her face, freshly applied foundation on her skin, she delved into thought at the realisation that this was her first night out, ever, alone. 

Being with Eddie from a young age meant that she had never been without him whilst socialising with friends. It wasn’t as if he was protective, or clingy, he just seemed to appear wherever she went, and that wasn’t a problem, until it was. 

Feeling trapped had been something Eddie had been an escapism from in her childhood, his warm welcoming home being a safe haven away from the intensity of her own; however, as they grew older and their relationship developed, the woman felt herself resenting engaged Danielle, and yearning for an independent Dani. Not only was her lack of attraction a vast reason to break the engagement, but her want for adventure was equally a cause for her English escapade. 

Knowing that her neighbour would be joining her first night of self-government didn’t overshadow her excitement, Dani Clayton was happy to embrace new friendships and opportunities, swiftly grabbed her purse from the table and refrained from overthinking her quick journey down to the pub. 

“Dani, you look lovely,” Hannah complimented from her seat next to Owen. 

The blonde blushed in thank, and smiled hello to the woman, alongside Owen and Rebecca. Fortunately she had arrived before Jamie, concluding in her being able to relax a little before the brunettes much anticipated entrance. 

The gentleman of the group offered to buy Dani a drink, she accepted briskly with a grateful expression, then found herself comfortably nestled beside Rebecca on one side of their booth. She took in her surroundings with interest, not yet having ventured downstairs to the establishment, the bustling atmosphere didn’t at all take her by surprise, though she struggled to imagine how three flats fit into the same floor plan. 

“You’re from Iowa, Dani?” Hannah asked with engrossment. 

“That’s right,” the young blonde confirmed. 

“Why’d you move?” Rebecca smiled before sipping at her wine. 

It was an innocent question, simply placed so that they could get to know Dani a little bit better, she retorted the most simple response she could muster, the one that would entail the least follow up questions, “I’ve always wanted to move to England,” it was the truth, only the smallest slither of it. 

“Bly is as English as you can get,” Hannah chuckled, “unpredictable weather, small town mentality, a mixture of origins.”

“I love it here,” Dani beamed, saying a short, “thank you,” to Owen as he placed a pint of larger down in front of her. 

“Wasn’t expecting that to be your order, I must say,” the gentlemen chuckles, “best pint the place has to offer, though.”

The blonde laughed out a breath, shy.

“What did I miss?” He asked with curiosity.

“Dani was just telling us about her move to Bly,” Hannah updated. 

The sound of footsteps approaching their table immediately increased Dani’s heart rate. 

“Ah, I’ve been meaning to ask her about that,” that raspy tone spoke out in its trademark teasing manner. 

Miss Clayton keeps her eyes fixated on the floor below her, twiddles her fingers mindlessly around the cold glass of her drink, failing to recognise the other pair of feet stood next to Jamie. 

“Grace,” Rebecca hums with surprise, clearly the guest was unexpected, “you look well.”

“I promised I’d take her to come see you lot, before she’s off on Monday,” Jamie stammers, a strange façade to her voice that clearly presents her pleasantry as a lie. 

Dani doesn’t know if she’s the only one that notices, or if the others are just polite enough to ignore it.

“I might be staying a little longer, we haven’t fingered it all out yet,” Grace quips back, irritation in her voice, it’s infliction unknown to Dani, “I’m sorry, we haven’t met.”

The blonde finally lets her eyes drift away from their spot on the floor, she tries her best to give off a genial smile as she introduces herself, “I’m Dani.”

“So you’re my replacement then?” Grace chuckles, her long ginger hair cascading past her exposed collarbones as her chest moves with the laugh. 

Dani rises her eyebrows, the information new to her, does Jamie have a thing for teachers? 

She forces her mind away from the brunette, only coping to do so for a millisecond, as the gardener then scoots in next to her, a tight squeeze in the booth. Not yet had the two women been so close, the surprisingly floral scent of Jamie’s perfume invaded Dani’s nostrils, clinging onto the tiny hairs inside her nose as she inhaled. 

“Evening,” Jamie whispered, low enough for only the blonde beside her to hear. 

Miss Clayton didn’t have the strength to respond, her knees becoming instinctively week in retaliation to their proximity. She tries her best to ignore the way their legs graze against one another, convinces herself that it’s only an innocent accident when Jamie’s fingertips brush against her thigh before her entire hand lifts up to clasp at her drink. 

“Didn’t pin you as a larger girl,” Jamie repeats Owens confession from before, nodding to the pint of drink matching her own.

“I didn’t know we could bring guests,” Dani quipped back in a whisper, embarrassed by how her words tint slightly as jealous. 

The brunette beside her sighs deeply, seemingly annoyed by the presence of ex as well, although the way Grace looks so attentively at Jamie confuses Dani evermore as the night drags on. 

Four pints in, the group get rowdy. Banter is thrown across the small booth with the type of familiarity only old friends could muster, Miss Clayton feels welcomed in the tight-knit group, smiles content as they all converse with one another. Herself and Jamie, still sat close together, have not acknowledged each other’s presence since their hostile interaction at the start of the evening. 

Jamie seems to miss seeing the aggravated look on Dani’s face, turns to her and asks, “so, why did you move here then?”

Hannah answers for her, “she’s always wanted to move to England.”

“Come off it,” the brunette groans, a drunken knowing look in her eyes as she stares Dani down, “what’s the real reason?”

Dani is growing uncomfortable at the way the woman pushes her, “that’s it,” she lies.

“No it’s not,” Jamie slurs her words, eyebrows raised as she continues to torment the woman beside her, “you’re young, smart, attractive, there’s gotta be something you’re not telling us.”

The woman’s accumulation of adjectives would sound complimentary if they were not accompanied by a smug expression. Dani feels trapped, not only by the strange amount of awareness Jamie appears to have, but by the way she finds herself clamped between the two brunettes, as if she couldn’t escape this interrogation even if she tried. 

“I was engaged,” a revelation, one that has everyone’s eyebrows raised in disbelief, “it ended badly, and here I am,” she ends the sentence bluntly, making it indescribably clear how much she does not want to elaborate on the situation. 

Obviously, the gardener is not satisfied with this answer, “so you moved across the world on your own?” 

“Jamie, leave her alone,” Owen orders, his voice stern and annoyed. 

The brunette lifts her hands up, a faux apologetic look plastered on her face, “just trying to get to know the girl.”

“Course you are,” Grace mutters, whether she intends for the group to hear or not, nobody knows. 

Dani’s eyes hover between the two ex girlfriends, the intensity of their stare not only making her, but everyone, uncomfortable. It isn’t long until the awkward silence is interrupted by Grace’s dramatic exit, followed suit by Jamie’s aggravated groan before she follows. 

“And the drama continues,” Rebecca whines, letting out a huff of breath as the two women disappear into the crowded pub. 

“That girl is no good for her,” Hannah shakes her head with motherly concern, “I thought she was gone for good this time.”

Dani’s brows furrow with confusion, she looks between her three colleagues, silently requesting more information. 

“Grace and Jamie dated on an off for years, Jamie ended it in the spring, they’re awful together, god knows why she’s even giving her the time of day,” Hannah lists their history with such frustration, communicating to the new addition of the group that the relationship was as toxic as imaginable. 

Another hour is spent discussing topics from each and every corner of the mind, eventually the four lagers catch up on Miss Clayton, she must excuse herself for the night and recite to her home upstairs. With thanks for a wonderful evening, she stumbles out of the pub and grasps firmly on the banister as she climbs the stairs. 

Expecting to find two women embraced in an intense lip lock, perhaps already inside Jamie’s apartment voicing passionate apologies, Miss Clayton is surprised to see Grace slumped on the stairs. With her head in her hands, the ginger woman does not see the young teacher, only knows of her presence by the stomp of her heavy drunken footsteps. 

“You okay?” Dani asks with worry, hearing the woman sniffle into her palms. 

“Don’t act like you care,” sobs out into the air in a spiteful response.

The blonde makes her way past the crying woman carefully, as she looks down at her reddened face, she believes she has never seem someone so sad in her life. 

“You like her, don’t you?” The ginger woman asks, though the begrudging tone in her voice tells Dani she has already decided on the answer. 

Miss Clayton has no words to respond, for she doesn’t know the true answer herself. The stranger sat on the floor continues to grumble at her, words incoherent and smothered in alcohol - flashbacks of her mother enter Dani’s mind, uninvited. 

Staring blankly at the distraught mess below her, the blonde blinks fast, a pathetic yearn for the crisp night air to sober her up in an instant. Jamie Taylor is possibly the most infuriating character she has ever come across, she’s rude and sarcastic and doesn’t care at all for other people’s feelings, why on earth would she want to be anything more than acquaintances with her? 

Miss Clayton, once again, doesn’t have an answer. Not at all can she reason why her mind seems to drift to the gardener during quiet nights alone. It’s impossible for her to muster an explanation to why, despite all her negative attributes, she can’t help but want to know more about Jamie Taylor.


	4. Pity party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Halloween approaching, Bly Primary organise a school disco. Dani is thankful for Jamie’s absence, though her colleagues soon make her aware that she’d much prefer the gardener to be at school than where she currently is - at the pub, alone. 
> 
> *WARNING* - mentions of alcohol addiction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter my loves!! A little cliff hanger to keep you on your toes...

Miss Clayton was possibly twice as nervous turning up for work this Monday morning than she was on her first day. Since the awkward revelation at the pub Friday night, the young teacher had not spoken to any of her colleagues, and as she walks towards the staff room in desperate need of caffeine, she heavily anticipates guilt ridden faces and persistent apologies. 

Of course, her work friends have nothing at all to apologise for themselves, but their small town mentality would get the better of them most definitely, encouraging utterances of how Jamie Taylor hadn’t meant to be so impolite. 

“Morning love,” Hannah smiles, sympathy already seeping through into her eyes at this dreadful early hour. 

“Good morning,” Dani hums, attempting her best to seem nonchalant and somewhat normal. 

Arriving at her seat between Owen and Rebecca, the three adults look to her, appearing as almost embarrassed of the weekends repercussions.

“We feel awful about how things ended Friday night,” Hannah sighs, “I promise you – not every pub outing ends up so tense.” 

“Jamie had no right to pressure you like that,” Rebecca adds, her best attempt at consoling the uncomfortable young blonde squeezed on the sofa beside her. 

“It’s fine, honestly,” Dani smiles at each of their friendly faces, “no hard feelings at all.”

“I’m glad you’ve said that,” Owen confesses, his brow-bone raised as if he’s struggling not to cringe as he continues to speak, “did you see Viola’s email?”

Miss Clayton shakes her heavy head. 

“Each class is planting a tree in the garden today, god knows how Vi managed to get Jamie to agree to it,” Hannah laughs, reaching her palm to stroke at Dani’s knee affectionately, “now Owen has offered to take your class for you, if you’re not up to, you know, the gardening.”

Dani isn’t as naïve as her long blonde hair persuades her to be, she knows it’s not the gardening her friends are shielding her from, but the gardener herself. The teachers heart warms at the kind gesture, though, “I’ll be okay to go on my own,” she insists. 

Not at all does she feel okay about this. Not one bit of her petite American body believes she can tolerate alone time with Jamie today. The children will be there, hopefully acting as a buffer for the gardeners snide ridiculing, though hiding behind 9 sweet children is a low Miss Clayton has too much pride for to reach. 

Checking her emails promptly after arriving at her classroom, Miss Clayton is relieved her class is the first to plant their tree. The woman would be tortured if her time slot was any further into the day, she’d have been onlooking the gardening through the old windows, anticipating death stares and sarcastic mumbles whilst struggling to proceed with lessons. 

Her 9 shining students are soon stood beyond the door, waiting patiently to be welcomed in by their teacher.

“Everybody place your bags on your pegs, keep your shoes and coats on though please,” the blonde orders once she’s opened the door and greeted her pupils.

“Are we going outside?” Flora pipes, wide eyed with excitement as she looks up at Miss Clayton.

“Yes, we’re going to plant a tree!” The teachers voice is coated with faux enthusiasm, she hopes the young children see past her harshly gritted teeth.

Flora’s face sinks immediately, worried, “with the scary gardener?”

Dani chuckles, slightly comforted by how she’s not the only one intimidated by the brunette, “she’s not scary,” she lies. 

As the small class travel outside into the cold October morning, Miss Clayton is certain her anxious gulp is visible when she sets eyes on the young gardener awaiting their arrival. The two women nod at each other civilly, acknowledging one another’s presence amongst the gaggle of excitable children. 

Jamie let’s out a frustrated breath as she talks to them all, “morning all, whose helping me out today then?”

A few eager children shoot up their hands to the clouds, bobbing up and down offering their assistance whilst Flora and Billy shy off at the back of the group, both borderline terrified of the gardeners wrath. Dani picks out a student to help Jamie with the tree, ensuring that the rest of the group can view the pair clearly as they approach the ready made hole. 

Viola had instructed all teachers to take as many photos as possible of the activities, encouraging them to be creative whilst doing so to help her spruce up the school website. Every age appropriate child in Bly was already attending the school, so the request inflicted much confusion, yet the staff agreed to do so anyway. Miss Clayton took out her phone, snapping pictures as Jamie guided her class on what they were going to do, her eyes dragged subconsciously to the curves of muscle creating a beautiful landscape on the gardeners shoulders and arms.

The brunette looks up from her stance squatted on the ground, a cocky smirk on her face as she whispers to the blonde, “saving those for later?”

Dani visibly blushes pink at the remark, though manages to suppress it down with mature composure and roll her eyes at the other woman’s words instead. Soon the children are closing in on the roots of the tree, listening attentively as the expert explains all necessary requirements for planting greenery into the ground. The teacher finds herself admiring how kind the bitter woman is acting towards her students. 

“Now we have to make sure the hole is deeper enough, you think we’re good mate?” Jamie asks the little boy who has his hands clenched tightly around the bark of the young tree. 

He nods in response, the other children following in suit as their teacher looks over them with pride. Everything is going surprisingly well, the tree is in the ground, Jamie is acting pleasant for once, and the group of kids around her are interested and favouring in all the brunette has to say. 

“Now, I need somebody strong to shovel in the rest of the soil,” the gardener lifts her brow bone, anticipating offers from the young people below her. 

“How about Miss Clayton? She’s stronger than all of us,” Flora kindly states, looking up at the blonde with innocent hope. 

“Oh - I don’t know,” the teacher feels a red panic surfacing in her gut, the green eyes of her neighbour looking up at her, seemingly nonchalant about the suggestion.

“Come on, sure someone would be happy to take pictures for ya,” Jamie’s mouth is curling up into a sly grin as she watches Dani pass her phone to Billy and come closer to her and the tree. 

Stumbling, neither of her thumbs any slight shade of green, the teacher feels overwhelmed by the simple task of shovelling dirt. Her hands fumble on the spade, an echo of chuckling in her ears as the gardener stands up, the act of mocking clearly resting on the top of her agenda. 

“Let me show ya,” the brunette’s hands are quickly accompanying Dani’s on the handle, their fingers inches apart and growing closer, the brunette radiates warmth, once again inflicting hot pink onto Miss Clayton’s already rosy cheeks. 

The children are still heavily engaged in the activity, every 9 of them oblivious to the way their teachers knees go weak as her skin feels the roughness of Jamie’s callused fingers whilst she guides the tool into soil. Minutes seem to stretch into painful abundance as the two women finish off the task. 

Jamie coughs awkwardly, alerting the woman stood beside her, assuring her that her grip can now loosen and return to the comfort of a mobile phone, “alright Poppins?”

Dazing into her unwanted lust, Dani is shaken out by breaths tickling the side of her face. After practically throwing the tool to the ground, the blonde returns to retrieve her phone, glad that the children quickly take Jamie’s attention away from her discomposure. 

With the first tree of the day planted, and the knowledge of gardening seeded firmly in 9 young minds, the class thank Jamie for her hospitality before returning to the warmth and safety of their classroom. 

Briefly before Miss Clayton reaches the building’s entrance, she glances back at the young gardener, their eyes locking with intense and unspoken attraction before each of them busy themselves with their indivisible duties. 

It takes the teacher an embarrassingly long amount of time to shake the feeling of brunette’s touch away from her tensing skin the rest of the day.

-

Miss Clayton is overwhelmingly sure that she’s never looked at somebody else with such desire, never wanted so badly for a touch to linger, to feel soft lips on her own, hard and heavy. Not whilst she was persuading herself into love with Eddie, nor when admiring other girls in the changing room, had Dani ever withheld such strong desire. Today, she was sure she had seen Jamie reflecting a small fraction of that same feeling back at her too. 

Laying in her bed, alone and distressed, the blonde wanders her eyes to the wall she’s sat closely beside, imagines Jamie doing the same only metres away. Admitting her sexual attraction to women had been a torturous drawn-out task for the American teacher, yet figuring out why on earth she has such impulses for the most bitter woman she’s ever met definitely takes first place in being the hardest bewilderment of her young life. 

Jamie Taylor is insistent on making her life an uncomfortable misery, yet in contrast, her eyes constantly have little resistance in wandering to Dani, confidently onlooking, provocative. Miss Clayton had tried to ignore it at first - the way their eyes would remain fixed on one another’s during moments of passionate dissatisfaction - alike to the way she pushed away her own want and intrigue for the gardener at first. Now these thoughts were omnipresent, impossible to hide away from. 

Sitting at home alone, in the same bed she had explored her libido in only days ago, memories of how Jamie had occupied her mind whilst fingers played deftly inside her grows the blonde’s confusion evermore. Life had never felt so conflicting.

-

“What do I wear to this thing?” Dani asks the next morning at school. 

Surrounded by tired faces, up and ready for a staff meeting before the school day begins, Miss Clayton can’t help but feel excited by the events being planned today. Halloween is soon approaching, so is October half term, and in two nights the school will put on a disco, celebrating the holiday and rewarding the children for making such a sensible return to school after the 6 weeks of summer. 

“Well with the bubble machine and tortuous clean up,” Owen sighs, “I suggest something you’d be happy to throw away afterwards.”

The teachers laugh together in happy harmony, resuming their attention to Viola as she speaks and informs them of the nights agenda. Staff attendance is mandatory, each teacher remaining in charge of their given classes, and alcohol is strictly banned from the premises, of course. 

Dani’s colleagues lack of enthusiasm is made up for by her increasing delight, as the corridors of the school became coated in spooky attire this past week, the young teacher has found herself reminiscing on her childhood fondness of the holiday. Trick or Treating with Eddie had been a highlight of her adolescence, and even as a young adult she would always go all out to ensure the children in her Iowa neighbourhood enjoyed the outing as much as she once had. 

“Everyone should be back here promptly at 5pm, giving you two hours to dress yourselves up,” Violas eyes scan to a few women sat to her left, “appropriately, might I add.”

The rest of the day drags on, the children becoming more and more distracted by their excitement for the school disco. It was a tradition at Bly Primary, each seasonal holiday required celebration, and every year the children would look forward to the events ahead. 

Thankfully, Miss Clayton doesn’t run into the gardener at all, not even on her return home. She considers if the downpour of rain has affected her work hours, yet doesn’t ponder too much on her absence, only revels in the tranquility of the day without the brunettes eyes burning into hers through the classrooms led windows. 

-

Thursday couldn’t have come quickly enough. The school day was definitely the most taxing as of yet, with her class being much more interested in costumes and dancing than mathematics or history. 

At last, Miss Clayton made her way home to Bly Pub, buzzing in her seat as she anticipated the liveliness of the forthcoming evening. Before reaching the side door to climb up to her flat, the blonde casually peaked through the wide stretch of windows at the side of the pub, her eyes landing on a familiar head of brown curls as she did so. 

Jamie was sat alone, nursing a large pint of beer, staring somewhat helplessly into a void in the distance. Miss Clayton frowned, slightly concerned by her neighbours expression, for a moment she considers travelling in to speak to her, before admitting that that was probably not the wisest thing to do. 

With the radio on in the background, blasting the charts and muffling out all sounds of the establishment below her, the teacher got changed and prepared for her late return to school. Sliding into a black skater dress, opaque black tights and suede wedged boots, she glances to the clock and discovers she’s running behind.

Grabbing her keys off the countertop and making her way down the stairs to her car, the blonde looks back into the pub with interest. As expected, Jamie remained in her lonesome seat, now sat amongst a few empty glasses and another full one, ready to be devoured. 

Once again, Miss Clayton decides not to press, leaving the gardener alone and venturing into her car, ready for the fun ahead. 

Right on time at 5pm, the blonde takes in the beautiful architecture of the old school building, entranced by how different it appears against the moonlight. The October wind bites nastily into her exposed skin, ushering her into the school. 

“You scrub up well,” Owen jokes, stood near the entrance as he places party food in an organised pattern on a long banquet table. 

“Need any help?” Dani offers kindly, hanging her coat on the hook placed beside the door of the staff room. 

“I’m all good, Hannah may need a hand in the hall though,” he suggests with a kind smile. 

Dani nods appreciatively and moves on through the small corridor towards the large hall. Immediately after opening the doors, her mouth gapes wide open as she takes in the stunning transformation of the room, “this looks lovely!”

Hannah picks up her head from its position glued towards the lights, excuses herself away from the DJ and approaches the young blonde, “Viola always goes all out.”

“You’ve done a fantastic job,” Miss Clayton compliments, her excitement bubbling higher as she considers just how thrilled the children will be once they arrive. She takes instructions from another teacher, helps with organising the chairs in the far corner of the room. 

Once the main hall is decorated appropriately, the small group of teachers proudly admire their work. Orders from Owen are taken swiftly, and soon young excitable bodies are entering the room, each child thrilled at its magnificence. Dani is mesmerised by the beauty of the event. 

“Having a nice time?” Rebecca queries as she nears closer to the blonde, who’s eyes are still transfixed on the way the children dance so freely in-front of the DJ and his bubble machine.

“I am,” Dani confirms, chuffed. 

“Surprised Jamie hasn’t made an appearance,” the woman jokes, a deep string of sarcasm holding each of her words together. 

“Oh I’m sure she’s having a nice enough night on her own,” the blonde suggests knowingly.

Rebecca raises her eyebrows with question. 

“Before I left I saw her sat in the pub, must’ve been into her third pint by then,” Dani laughs.

Soon the humorous comment is shut down by Rebecca’s worried stare, “who was she with?”

“She was alone,” the blonde responds fast. 

“Everything okay ladies?” Owens deep voice interrupts, hovering above the loud bass of the dance music in the background. 

“Dani said she saw Jamie alone at the pub earlier,” Rebecca states, a clear undertone of concern in her voice.

“When was this?” The gentleman interrogates, uncharacteristic seriousness in his sound. 

“When I left, so about 4:15,” Dani then looks up at the clock above her head on the wall, now showing the time of 7:30pm, “you don’t think she’s still there, do you?”

Owen sighs, reminded of the blonde’s unfamiliarity of Bly and its people, “Jamie used to have a bit of an alcohol problem.”

The blonde swiftly understands the intensity of their discussion, “I haven’t seen her around the last few days, has she been showing up for work?”

Rebecca audibly gasps, realisation striking through her as she remembers, “Viola mentioned Jamie hadn’t been well this week.”

“Not the same kind of illness we assumed, presumably,” Owen sighs, shoots his gaze back at Dani, “wouldn’t mind taking me back to the pub with you? Might be good to check in on her.”

“Of course,” Dani’s affirmative nod is so fast it inflicts a slight ache in her neck.

-

The drive back to Bly Pub had been consumed in uncomfortable silence, the usually kept together man a quivering mess as his mind overloaded with concern. Miss Clayton found that her herself even had increasing worry as they arrived back at her home. Ensuring her car was locked for the night, the blonde led her colleague into the pub. She noted her dashboard now blaring the time of 8:27pm.

A desperate hope that Jamie had finished her escapade and returned back home burned in Dani’s chest, though as soon as she ventured inside the bustling building her eyes drew to one unfortunate familiar face. 

“Alright?” The brunette slurred, sloppy grin on her cheeks as she guzzled down what seemed to be her 6th drink. She’d gravitated away from larger and started to hit spirits, obviously desiring a harder hit as her lonely night proceeded on. 

“What are you doing Jay?” Owen huffed, fatherly disappointed in his voice. 

Jamie’s unfocused eyes wandered to the blonde stood behind him, “snitch on me then?”

Dani was unsure on what to say, assumed that the man beside her would take lead in the situation.

“She was only concerned,” Owen justifies, “lucky she told us, god knows the state you’d have gotten in.”

“Only live upstairs,” Jamie jokes, a very poor judgement of the interaction.

“Let’s get you sorted,” the older man insists, grimacing at the strong scent of alcohol on the woman’s breath as he lifts her arm over his shoulder and steadies her to her feet. 

Dani leans in to help, is pushed away harshly with a spiteful grunt from the drunk. 

Never had the slim ancient staircase been so bothersome, Owen had virtually dragged Jamie up the steps towards her flat as Dani trailed on behind them. The next task had been to locate the brunettes keys, and after 3 long exasperated minutes, Dani was fiddling with the locks, then pushing the door open in front of her. Eyes scanned a surprisingly homely living room, decorated with dozens of plants and an old worn leather sofa, positioned close to a glass coffee table in-front of a flat screen TV. The room smells prominently of Jamie. 

“I’m not a child,” Jamie grunts as Owen pulls off her boots. 

“Stop acting like one then,” the gentleman feels guilty for his harsh tone, reminds himself to be understanding of his friend’s struggling. 

Before too long Jamie is laid sprawled out on her sofa, head dipping down loosely to the ground as the other two adults look down at her. Dani can’t help but feel sorry for the sight before her eyes, winces in unison with Jamie’s drunken groan. 

“Don’t think it’s wise to leave her alone tonight,” Owen admits in the kitchen, speaking quietly to Dani as he reaches for a cold bottle of water from the fridge. 

“I don’t mind staying, not as if I live far away,” the blonde chuckles, her offer spilling out into the air without much consideration. 

“You sure?” The older man questions, aware of the dynamics between the two young women. 

“Yeah,” Dani sighs, though as she looks over at the mess of a woman guzzling water on the sofa a few feet away, whining with immense nausea, the last thing she feels on earth is ‘sure’.

Owen eventually leaves the two women alone - one much more intact with reality than the other. Miss Clayton looks on at the sleeping brunette, see’s an accumulation of similarities to her mother - the way heavy snores are coated with intoxication, let go in irregular breaths in tandem with erratic drunken movements - this demeanour is unfortunately something the blonde is vastly familiar with. 

Feeling her own heavy eyelids drag down to a close, the blonde can’t for long resist her body from sleep. Her tired mind fails to calculate that she will in shortly awaken in the same presence that she now doses off amongst.


	5. Sorry Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying her best to get through to Jamie, the neighbours have a rather intense few interactions. Feeling happy and content at dinner with friends, Dani believes she can somehow help the gardener become the woman she deserves to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you’re liking!   
> Keep leaving KUDOs and comments - I read them all <3

Miss Clayton opens her eyes in response to an ache burning in the back of her neck, her gaze lands on the window in front of her, and for some unknown reason, the view of the fields outside appear somewhat different this morning. She then notices that the walls look drastically darker too, a light grey shade instead of crisp white, the unsuspecting woman stands up from the chair she’s perched on, eyes bulge open in realisation – this isn’t her flat. 

A subtle snore draws her attention next, the sight of long brown hair cascading down broad shoulders kicks an uncomfortable worry in the pit of her stomach. Does she leave? Just walk out of the door and into her own apartment? Does Jamie even remember the night before? 

She hasn’t made a decision, nor come to her senses, when green eyes open wide, gawk at her as she stands above, looking down at the groggy woman on the sofa. 

“Jesus Christ,” Jamie jumps, finally awake enough to see a familiar blonde staring blankly back at her, stood in the middle of her living room, it’s startling, “what the fuck are you doing?”

Dani gulps, “me and Owen brought you home last night,” she desperately hopes this justification brings back Jamie’s memories of last night. 

It does, and the brunette grows increasingly bitter, “and now you’re watching me sleep?”

“I just wanted to know that you were okay,” the woman confesses. 

“And why’s that?” Jamie laughs, disbelieving, coy. 

“I Uhm,” Dani clears her throat, growing evermore uncomfortable, “do you feel alright?”

The brunette is about to retort back at the blonde spitefully, though her stomach interrupts her thoughts with a rather aggressive jolt, Dani notices the flush of white run over the woman’s face, informing her that she is in fact, not at all alright. 

Promptly, there’s a bowl present, responding to repetitive gags, receiving the spewing repercussions of last night’s drink. The young teacher runs into the kitchen, fetches a glass of water, outstretches her hand timidly, awaiting for Jamie to accept the liquid peace offering.

“Cheers,” the gardener grunts, closing her eyes in discomfort as she washes away the strong unwelcome tastes lingering in her mouth. 

Miss Clayton doesn’t think that Jamie has ever looked so fragile, “I can make you some breakfast? Toast, maybe?”

“I’m alright,” the brunette responds, pushing away the woman’s efforts to comfort her, “I’m a big girl.”

Dani wants to tell her about her mother, insist that she knows and understands that drink can often seem like a perfect solution to forget imperfect situations. The teacher wants to sit next to the brunette, offer her a shoulder, advice, someone to talk to – at least. Jamie Taylor really looks like she needs someone to talk to. However, the blonde does nothing of the sort, is aware that her help is unwanted, never-mind how much it’s obviously needed. 

“Okay then,” she sighs, “I suppose I won’t see you at work?” 

“I’m ill,” Jamie bites back quickly, as if if she says it fast enough, it will become a simple truth, for she is ill – but not in any way that can be remedied with bed rest or a dose of paracetamol. 

Letting the door close slowly behind her, Miss Clayton reaches for her phone, scrolls though the accumulation of worried messages she’s received for Hannah and Owen. The time tells her she’s only got an hour to change out of last nights clothing and prepare herself for the last day before half-term. 

-

Getting to school late is something Miss Clayton detests. Anything that shifts her day’s routine, placing her plans in disorder, places a bothersome thump in the back of her head. Thankfully, and surprisingly, the children are yet to arrive. 

Entering the staff room worried seems to be becoming the new norm, expecting concerned expressions from all angles, the blonde enters the room to discover it empty. With brows furrowed, she tries her best to make a drinkable hot beverage. 

“You’re here early,” Viola states, entering the room and becoming the second teacher present. 

Dani’s confusion deepens. 

“It’s 6:30 dear,” the headteacher informs her, appearing rather concerned by the young woman’s discomposure, “are you feeling well?”

Rushing out of Jamie’s apartment this morning, mind in overdrive, her blurred eyes had presumably read the time an hour ahead, “just tired,” Dani lies, she had thought she was half an hour late, not early. 

“As you were,” Viola hums, collecting a tea from the countertop and leaving Dani alone again. 

Sitting onto the sofa in the corner of the room, Miss Clayton had only intended to rest her eyes for a few minutes. 

“Jamie’s arm chair keep you awake?” Owen laughs, nudging the young woman out of sleep. 

Eyes bolt open, apologies of, “sorry,” linger, slumbered in the air. 

Luckily, Owen had been the first one to find her, as far as she knew, at least. Thankful that a week break started after today, Dani felt a little better about her unease, a smile escapes under a moustache and a replacement for her, now cold, cup of coffee is suggested. 

After updating her colleagues on the state she’d left Jamie in this morning, the school bell rings them out of light chatter and beckons them to their appropriate classrooms. Teachers buzz amongst each other happily, delighted that the day was to finish at lunchtime today. Greeting 9 early-birds and putting them to work, Dani then brought her attention to her mobile phone, which was vibrating erratically against the dark wood of her desk. 

An unknown number says - ‘Sorry about this morning, thank you for last night’

Confusion flurries in her still tired mind, though after realising that this message can only be from a certain brunette, Dani ponders on how to respond. Her fingers shake, worry coursing through her digits like a shy teenager.

‘It’s okay, feel better soon.’ Is what she decides to write back.

Expecting to hear nothing back, the blonde resumes her duties and takes her register, chuckling back at the children as they all shout enthusiastically in response. Once she’s done, her phone buzzes again, barely audible over the excited chatter of young voices working with one another in the distance. 

‘Owen gave me your number, hope that’s okay.’

A boundary seems to have disappeared in the short amount of time between leaving Jamie’s flat and returning to school. Dani feels flutters in her stomach, pleased that their animosity has dissolved unexpectedly today. Weeks of anxious stares and bitter conversations hopefully have come to an end, neighbourly interactions can now ensue, maybe even a genuine smile will be displayed in the near future.

“Has Jamie text you yet?” Owen asks curiously at break time, biting into an overfilled sandwich, making Hannah cringe at its mess. 

“Yeah, she did,” the blonde confirms.

“Good, I told her to, hope you didn’t mind me giving her your number,” the revelation unsettles Dani slightly, thoughts that Jamie had reached out herself somewhat comforted her for the last few hours, now knowing that she’d only done as such after a ridiculing from Owen, Miss Clayton felt disappointed. 

“How did she seem, when you spoke to her?” The kind young teacher asks. 

“Hungover,” Owen sighs, “don’t take it too personally if she’s distant about this, hardly speaks to me when she relapses, and I’ve known the kid for centuries.”

Miss Clayton absentmindedly chuckles, can’t fathom Jamie Taylor being more distant than she already is. 

-

Arriving back at her flat, eyes linger to Jamie’s front door, feet stuck harshly in the corridor outside both homes, Dani doesn’t think too much before knocking softly for her neighbour. 

Stomping feet increase in sound, approaching the door begrudgingly, Jamie pulls it open only slightly, eyes locking with Dani’s, “what do you want?”

The familiar bitterness of tone is a stark contrast to the apologetic texts Miss Clayton received earlier on today, “just wanted to check in.”

The gardener opens the door further, exposing her Pyjama clad body, looking softer and daintier than usual under the soft homely light, “why?”

Dani sighs, hating the unspoken quandaries lingering in the opaque air, “you know why.”

“Look, I don’t know what they’ve told you,” Jamie groans, “but I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.”

The teachers eyes scan the white tone of cheeks, the dryness of plump pink lips - clearly dehydrated and yearning to be attended to, “you told me you were ill,” she corrects, and it’s a fact, those exact words had come from the brunette earlier this morning. 

Jamie’s face scrunches in confusion, as eyes scan down to look at the shopping bags dangling from Dani’s grasp. She’s marginally pleased that the blonde had taken a safer route of conversation.

“Let me heat you up some soup?” a glowing care in the teacher’s eyes travel into her neighbours hurting soul, “then I’ll be out of your hair, promise.”

The brunette doesn’t say a word, only opens her front door wider and shuffles back, welcoming Dani into her home for the second time today. The atmosphere injects discomfort into both women, the dull voices coming from television adverts are their only source of sanity, they clutch onto the sounds with mutual desperation. 

“Chicken, vegetable, or tomato,” Dani lists, eyes peering to look to the woman back in her position on the sofa, a collection of wool blankets engulfing her body. 

“Vegetable,” Jamie grunts back, refusing to take her attention off of the not-at-all-interesting movements burning into her tender eyes in overwhelming technicolour. 

Heating soup is one of the few culinary skills Dani has perfected over her years, an easy route to solve ones hunger without risk of burning down the kitchen. She butters a soft white roll, finds a tray tucked beside drawers and places it on top, alongside the vegetable soup and a cold bottle of water. She steadily carries the meal into the living room, approaching the brunette with caution, waiting patiently until she’s sat up and ready to accommodate the lap tray. 

“Thank you,” Jamie’s manners sound surprisingly genuine.

Dani sits opposite her in a leather armchair, the same one that she’d slept in, barely, the night before. The brunette is obviously disinterested in the TV, is much more attentive to the warm soup she’s shovelling hungrily into her mouth. The blonde uses the calm air as a stepping stone to speak. 

“My mum is an alcoholic, you know,” they’re brave words coming from a particularly fearful woman. 

Jamie doesn’t respond, only continues to eat her lunch. 

Dani takes this as a signal to elaborate a little, “after my dad died, the bottle became her best friend. I was young, I didn’t understand it then, but I do, I do now.”

Chewing on a mouthful of bread, Jamie swallows and looks up at the blonde, “did you come here to make sure I was okay, or to lecture me?”

Her voice is soft, aware of the conversations importance, but nevertheless still resistant to discuss anything of the sort. Miss Clayton doesn’t take it personally, remembers Owens words from before. She can see identifiable struggle behind green eyes, can’t help but push for Jamie’s acknowledgement, “Owen said you’ve had troubles before?”

“Dani, please,” the gardener is visibly frustrated by her neighbours tendency to nag, she clutches onto politeness as much as she possibly can. 

“My mum started therapy a few months back, I bet if you spoke to yours-”

“Don’t,” Jamie interrupts sternly, placing the remnants of her food onto the coffee table in front of her, running her hands agitatedly through thick curls, “can you leave? Please?”

The blonde accepts she may have pushed too far, respects wholeheartedly that talking to a complete stranger about addiction is likely not something Jamie has any desire to do right now, “I’m just next door, if you need anything,” she whispers, looking down with a sorry smile before exiting the unsettlement of her neighbouring flat, leaving it reluctantly behind. 

Returning to her own home, her heart can’t help but ache as she thinks of the sorrow on the other side of the wall. A week off, meant for her to relax, yet as she considers the woman whom she’d just abandoned, evidently in need of a friend, Miss Clayton knows relaxing is the last thing she’ll manage to do. 

-

A few days into the half term break, most days have been spent cleaning the flat and venturing into Bly high street, wasting time away and avoiding all thoughts of one particular gardener. Dani was grateful for an invitation to Owen’s, thankful for something stimulating to do. 

The invitation by text had said ‘dinner and wine with close friends’, informing the young blonde that this was an occasion to dress up for. Going only by the knowledge of Owen’s cookery skills, she was certain the night would be nothing less than sublimely. Putting on her nicest lilac low cut blouse, and favourite high wasted black trousers, the woman’s heels clicked harmoniously on the hard concrete of the steps descending to outside. 

She had thought it appropriate to call for a taxi, noting that ‘wine’ had been a significant detail to the invitation, now waited under the shelter of the Pub’s patio for her car to arrive. 

Not having seen Jamie since their zealous discussion Friday night, the gardener was somewhat dissolving into Dani’s subconscious. Of course, she was still concerned for her neighbours health and well being, but the hostile response she had revived from the brunette reassured her that her help was not welcome nor wanted. 

The driver was fond of Owen, knowing instantly who lived at the address Dani had given him, they chattered lightly throughout the short drive to her colleagues quaint country house. Stepping out of the taxi, with grateful thanks to the gentleman in the front seat, the blonde was soon stood in-front of worn ancient wood, tapping at it rapidly in desire to be let in from the cold. 

“Dani!” Owen welcomed, a glass of bubbly already laced through his fingers, “come in, you must be freezing.”

Entering his home, Dani verbally appreciated its bohemian décor and confessed her greed to find out more beneath the luscious smells encapsulating the warm air. Ushered through to the kitchen, she found herself in the company of Rebecca and Hannah, both women hugging her tightly, with sweet aromas of champagne lingering on their breath. 

“You look wonderful love,” Hannah admired, “shame Owen’s culinary friends aren’t joining us this evening,” she joked innocently. 

The insinuation of being paired off with a man disturbed Dani’s tranquility, she urged herself to honesty, insisted that Danielle Clayton was no more, she hadn’t moved all this way to slip back into bad habits, simply on the premises of fitting into the expectations of others, “any female friends?” The question was humorous and light, considered as the best possible way to communicate this undisclosed factor of herself. 

“Quite a few actually,” Owen responded casually, unfazed by the revelation, “though I believe them all to be married now.”

Rebecca chuckled, “Jamie’s available right, with Grace back in London n all, and hopefully for good this time.”

Hannah laughed along at the blameless conversation, yet Miss Clayton felt a tight squeeze in her abdomen as she heard first-hand that Jamie’s ex-lover was indeed once again out of the picture. The tearful woman that she had found at the top of her staircase last week didn’t leave much to her imagination, though Dani still suspected that their was a possibility Grace was still somehow on the scene. 

“I don’t think we’re very compatible, I’m afraid,” Miss Clayton joked back in response. 

“Two young attractive girls like you, that’s a shame really,” Hannah sighs, an odd dissatisfaction seeping through her words. 

“No Jamie tonight then?” Dani asked innocently. 

“I did call her a few times, no answer,” Owen voiced glum, “though not the best environment for her possibly,” a shake of his champagne glass tied the strings together, “seen or heard much of her, Dani?”

The blonde flipped back and forth, deliberating whether or not to mention her most recent interaction with her neighbour, “no, not since she texted on Friday,” she lies. 

Owen’s food was nothing bar sublime, each dish exquisite and tasteful and better than the last. The group of friends distributed meaningful conversation, all opening up increasingly as they gulped down fizzing Champagne. 

Dani felt her muscles relax entirely, perhaps for the first time in decades, she stumbled into the bathroom at some point, in need of releasing some of the liquid bubbling fast in her bladder. Stood at the sink, washing her hands, the woman glances up to look at herself in the mirror. A single tear disperses from a watering eye, and her heart burns with senses of gratitude. 

Overwhelmed with emotion, Miss Clayton doesn’t disturb more tears from flowing down blushing cheeks. Absorbed by the friendly distant chatter of familiar voices, her heart aches in a way it hasn’t before. Not once, in all her years of living, has she felt so in place, so correct with the tides and the wind, like she’s exactly where she needs to be. 

Her happiness is fragmented by thoughts of Jamie Taylor, who is likely sat alone in her flat, feeling the antithesis of Dani right now in this moment. 

The blonde has felt pain in her life that at times felt everlasting, impossible to budge and reach past, situations had engulfed her entire existence and had once seemed to be permanent for eternity. 

Standing in Bly, in the presence of new friends, Miss Clayton felt happy for Danielle, who was finally whom she had always desired to be. Not knowing much about the gardener, Dani could only assume she feels somewhat the same, though memories of miserable eyes, defensive utterances of sarcasm, spoke to her clearly in ways so familiar. 

Jamie Taylor is hurting, Jamie Taylor is wanting to escape the life she feels trapped in, wanting to become the woman who she utterly deserves to be. With tears wiped away from her face, a smile set steady between puffed out cheeks, Miss Clayton named herself the person to be exactly what Jamie Taylor needs.


	6. Fireworks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guy Fawkes night is a new and exciting British tradition for our American Teacher. The presence of Jamie Taylor at Owen’s bonfire night party is welcomed by Dani, especially when a rather intoxicated gentlemen makes a move on her. 
> 
> Rebecca enlightens the gardener on a fact about Miss Clayton that is unexpected, alighting new feelings within the young brunette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait for this chapter !   
> Hope everyone is keeping well and safe.  
> The slow burn is real in this chapter, a lot of tension.  
> Feedback is welcomed as always <3

November has always felt like a month of nothingness to Miss Clayton. To her, after the hype of halloween, came 30 drawn out days of suspenseful anticipation until Christmas. Her family back in America never really cared for Thanksgiving, and Eddie would hardly want to celebrate any holiday at all, so finding out about Guy Fawkes Day in the UK sprinkled some hope into the cold leafless month for the young blonde.

“So centuries ago, someone tried to kill the royal family, and now every year you light fireworks to celebrate?” Dani asks, plastered confusion on her tired Monday morning face. 

“When you put it like that, it almost sounds cynical dear,” Hannah laughs in response, nestling a hot cup of coffee between her palms as she breathes in the scent of caffeine mixed in with the frosty air, “it’s an excuse to party, nevertheless.”

The young blonde chuckles in retaliation to her friends comment, then brings her attention to the string of students making their way through the school gates, returning from a week of rain during half term. Seeing a few familiar faces, most displeased to be back at Bly Primary on such a dreary Monday morning, Dani smiles happily as her mind devours her excitement for the upcoming holiday. Hannah had enlightened her all morning, trying her best to make sense of the strange tradition, and coated her voice in enthusiasm in her best effort to spread her joy for the occasion to the clueless American.

The first day of the week always consists of tired faces and reluctancy from students, yet the hasty attitude of the young children seems to have heightened today, presumably a cause of having the previous week to lounge around and eat sweets. A few boys in Miss Clayton’s class are being especially bothersome today, and as the young teacher makes her best attempt to settle them down, her gaze wonders through the classroom window and lands on a mud-covered brunette. 

Absolutely definite that her gulp was visible, Dani busies herself with the children, blurring her mind and pushing away all anxiety that consumes her thoughts of the gardener. She hasn’t spoken to Jamie since she gave her soup, alongside unwelcome sympathy, and the sight of the woman inflicts unease throughout the entirety of the blonde’s body. The sound of the lunch bell causes her to let out a heavy breath, relieved to be freed from the antagonising young boys for a whole hour.

“Where is everybody?” Dani asks a fellow teacher sweetly, eyes scanning around the sparse staff room as she furrows her brows in concern, concerned that she’s supposed to be in a meeting or some sort.

“Back to school admin, I guess,” the older gentlemen shrugs, nodding towards the kettle, offering the young lady a hot beverage to calm down her visible nerves. 

“Two teas, please,” Dani retorts, her brain fumbling out a tedious idea as the man fulfils her request.

Walking all the way from the staff room to the patio is a task Miss Clayton struggles with immensely, by the time she’s approaching familiar brown curls, both her hands sting with burns and the cups are almost half empty, “Jamie?”

The gardener spins round on her heels, a worn out expression coating her red cheeks, “alright?”

Dani smiles down at the cups in her hands, “I brought you a cup of tea.”

Jamie’s face lifts in surprise, though her lips curl up in a small smile of gratitude as she takes one of the cups from Dani’s hands, “cheers.”

“Cheers,” the blonde laughs giddy, sipping her tea, proud that her gesture seems to be working well.

Hot tea was something unfamiliar to Miss Clayton before her move to Bly, yet quickly became a home comfort as the beverage accustomed almost every interaction she’d had since she arrived. The day of her interview with Viola, she had been offered a cup of tea, her landlord had done the same when they first met, and even on the plane journey to London there had been tea served throughout the flight. The drink came with an undertone of humbleness, a friendly gift, and as the young American looked on fondly as her neighbour sipped from her cup, Dani hoped Jamie sensed the drive behind the liquid peace offering. 

“I’m sorry about last week, I shouldn’t have said anything,” the blonde nodded firmly as she strung out her words in a hurried and anxious apology. 

“You’re fine,” Jamie sighed, “I appreciated the soup,” her eyes scann up to Dani’s, teasing, “hot liquids seem to be your thing.”

Caught off guard by her own bouncing laugh, Miss Clayton almost drops her china mug, muddy calluses reach out and steady her hand, the warmth of Jamie’s fingers is unexpected, undoubtedly welcome, “are you going to Owens for fireworks on Friday?”

The brunette chuckles, “he’s dragged you into that too?” 

Dani’s confused by the woman’s response. 

“Every year he has a big do, cooks a 5 course meal and buys enough fireworks for the entire town,” the gardener tells, her tone is light, communicating her vast wit to Dani, “I’ll be there, though, free food and all.”

“Do we bring anything?” The blonde asks innocently. 

“God no, the mans a culinary snob, don’t put yourself in any position to be attacked,” the gardener warns playfully. 

“Got it,” Dani nods, disappointment coursing through her veins as the bell sounds for the end of lunch, insinuating a departure from Jamie. 

Taking the now empty cup from Jamie’s hand, the two women share a millisecond of contact, the feeling once again alighting feelings within Dani that are strictly inappropriate for a school setting. Accepting the gardeners thanks, the young teacher walks briskly back into the building, engulfed in her classrooms warmth and tranquility. She absorbs her abundant feelings before being once again joined by 9 newly energised young children. 

-

Come Friday, it seems as though Owen has invited the whole town over for Guy Fawkes night, which, in theory, isn’t that many people, but when squeezed into a cosy little English cottage, the 30 guests supposedly create at least 5 health and safety hazards. Music is blaring from the speakers in the living room, and Dani feels her blood pump to its base as she sets eyes on familiar friends. 

“You made it!” Rebecca calls out, arms wide open in position to greet the blonde with a hug.

“Owen really outdid himself,” the blonde chuckles before accepting her friends embrace and greeting Hannah who’s stood close beside her. 

“Don’t tell him that, his head will only get better,” Jamie’s voice calls from behind.

Dani quips her head so fast she feels her neck snap, trying her best not to wince at the slight pain, she distracts her conscious whilst taking in the gardener’s slender body, dressed in a fitted black t-shirt and ripped denim jeans. Soon she just rip her eyes away from gawking, Jamie’s physique has never been on such display. 

“You guys come together?” Hannah questions. 

“No I got a taxi,” Dani states, a slight ambience of defence in her words. 

“I drove, not planning on drinking, so,” Jamie confesses, eyes roaming between the three women in front of her awkwardly, she says a silent prayer in hopes that none of them dwell on her statement. 

The brunette’s guardian angel works fast, placing Owen amongst them to distract from any tense and unwanted conversation. He offers them a platter filled with tiny cheeses and crackers, smiles proudly as they each groan in delight as they eat. Dani takes a moment to wander her eyes back around the cottage, which seems much larger than last time due to its capacity, there are orange lights creating a sophisticated ambience, accompanied by chatter and music and laughs. The blonde relaxes under the atmosphere, revels in how comfortable she feels amongst friends, never before has a party felt so entrancing. 

“Can I get anyone anything to drink?” The gentlemen offers, his moustache framing his smile with charm.

Miss Clayton feels her stomach churn at the mention of alcohol, the hovering presence of the gardener behind her striking a feeling alike to guilt within her. Jamie is a grown woman, in control of herself and her actions, but the young teacher can’t help but sympathise with the struggling situation the gardener finds herself in. Letting Rebecca and Hannah make their requests first, the blonde turns to Jamie, her voice low.

“Do you know where the bathroom is?” Eyes of hope land on quirked up slim lips, suggesting the two young women escape the talk of drinks.

Jamie seems to appreciate Dani’s diversion, nods her head to one side and beckons the teacher to follow her through the crowd. Squeezing through the people of Bly, the blonde lets her ears pay attention to the accumulation of thick British accents, enjoying the striking difference these unknown people have from those back in Iowa. A few young men smirk at her playfully, obvious interest in the unseen new addition to the town. 

“Thanks,” Dani sighs gratefully as they reach the bathroom door, upstairs the air feels thicker, rooms are empty and the music muffled. Jamie’s presence is almost intimidating. 

Being polite, the gardener waits for the teacher to finish, occupying herself with her mobile phone until she hears the toilet flush and Dani emerges. Enjoying the calmness of upstairs, Jamie remains with her back pressed up against the wall, tries her best to engage and interact with the blonde. 

“How are you finding Bly then?” The question is innocent, yet Dani’s unknown backstory seeps through its words, the gardener wanting to know more details of her neighbours runaway. 

“It’s different to Iowa,” the blonde states, “quieter, friendly.”

“Missing your family?” The brunette notices the fall in Dani’s expression, a frown tells her that her pestering causes discomfort.

“I wasn’t all that close to them really,” Dani confesses, feet fidgeting against Owen’s carpet as her muscles retract. 

“That makes two of us,” Jamie’s light chuckle eases the other woman’s nerves. 

Another revelation of the brunettes life, added to the small tally Dani is keeping in her mind. She used to have a younger brother, alcohol is most definitely not her friend, and she doesn’t get along with her family. The blonde finds herself relating to her unexpected acquaintance more and more after every interaction - she too had lost Eddie, someone who had felt like a sibling, her mother struggled with alcohol just like Jamie, and family wasn’t something she had the privilege of enjoying. 

Pondering on continuing the conversation, Dani’s eyes scan on Jamie’s fingers, fiddling skilfully with a pack of cigarettes. 

“You smoke?” Another chance to be alone, to escape the intensity of unfamiliar faces, voices dripping with slurs and reeking with intoxication.

Dani does not, has never, smoked a cigarette, but the possibility of spending more time with Jamie, opening up to one another and dissolving the unkind animosity Bly Primary has created, causes the blonde to fib, “sure.”

Standing outside in the cold is typically something Miss Clayton avoids with desperate urgency, though the outlook of British country side, echoes of fireworks consuming the night air, somewhat comforts the young American. Accompanied by Jamie, an unanticipated friend for this evening, the wind intertwines with the scent of tobacco, creating a smell soon to become nostalgic. Owen stands a few feet away, setting up fireworks with a few unidentified men, all chattering loudly and laughing hard as the chef quips pun after pun. 

“Whose your friend?” A deep voice interrupts the soothing breeze, a teasing slur to his voice that makes the hairs on the back of Dani’s neck stand up. 

“This is Dani Clayton,” Jamie introduces the young teacher to the man stood strangely close to them, both women can almost taste the beer lingering on his breath as he speaks. 

“I’m Ryan,” his smirk is distasteful and arrogant.

“Hey,” the blonde greets politely, hovering closer to the warmth and protection of Jamie’s body. 

“An accent, American?” A stupid question, an alien would be able to recognise Dani’s accent from a mile away. 

“Iowa,” the teacher confirms, distressed when Jamie wanders off to help out Owen in the garden. 

Ryan has a personality that Dani detests, every part of his slurred and hurried speech is coated in tormenting teasing, his eyebrows quirk up suggestively as he strings out innuendos and brushes is hand on the blonde’s arm. Jamie Taylor’s presence has never been so overwhelmingly desired, and although the woman is only mere metres away, the proximity of this strange man makes it feel like miles. His intoxication becomes evermore apparent as he leans in to whisper into Dani’s ear, “how about we find somewhere quiet to talk?”

“No, thankyou,” the blonde rejects politely. 

“Come on, create our own private firework show?” The man nears impossibly closer, hot wet breath leaking onto Dani’s neck, making her whole body freeze with unease. 

Her squirms are loud and audible, gripping the attention of the small group of people accumulating in the garden. 

“Oi,” Jamie yells, voice sharp and dominant, Ryan tenses at the exclamation, “back off,” the brunette warns, nudging the man away from Dani when she’s close enough. 

After Ryan has disappeared back into the busy cottage, Jamie gives the teacher a sympathetic smile, “you okay?” 

Owen is soon by her side too, “he won’t bother you again.”

All Dani can do is sigh, steady her erratic breaths and fix her attention away from tears and to the dark November skies. Jamie’s expression is close to enraged, brows crossing down harshly and lips turned down in an aggressive frown, “dickhead,” the gardener grunts. 

“I’m fine,” the blonde reassures, fingers clasping around Jamie’s left arm, the woman’s heart beat noticeably rapid under her touch. 

Rebecca and Hannah make their way outside with the rest of the guests, responding to Owen’s orders, all excited to see the firework display. Jamie hovers towards the back of the crowd, face still stiff with aggravation, which Rebecca notices instantly. 

“What’s wrong?” The teacher’s voice is smothered with worry. 

“Just Ryan being a dick, came onto Dani,” the brunette grunts, her words spilling out a few seconds before the first firework is set into the sky and exploding spontaneously. 

Rebecca chuckles, a response which is unexpected. 

“What’re you laughing at?” Jamie shouts over the sound of popping explosions and cheers. 

“He wouldn’t have had much luck even if he wasn’t a dick,” the teacher hints, her tone flying over the gardeners head, Jamie’s face is confused and crumpled, “she’s gay.”

“No she’s not,” the brunette laughs, shoving away Rebecca’s surety.

“She told us herself,” a confirmation that makes the young gardener choke on the cold air deep in her lungs. 

“Really?” The disbelief is reluctant and present in Jamie’s pitched voice. 

“Yep,” Rebecca pops, a knowing smirk on her face as she watches the gardener take in the revelation. 

From a distance Jamie observes Miss Clayton, whose stood closely to Hannah, both women gawking appreciatively at the rainbow coloured sparks in the sky. Cussing herself for being so ignorant, Jamie hates that she tries to fit Dani to stereotypes, as if somebody’s sexuality is visibly identifiable through shortly trimmed nails and cuffed jeans. The blonde notices the gardener’s stare, waves small and subtle towards her, inflicting an uncharacteristic blush to set itself comfortably on Jamie’s cheeks. 

Gazing up at the colourful sky, Dani sighs with content, consumed in senses of tranquility she has been deprived of for too long. Settling herself between friends, under the watchful eye of her neighbour, Miss Clayton once again feels overwhelming gratitude in the cold evening air. Oxygen is light in her lungs, butterflies swarming in her stomach, as Jamie nears closer with a foreign smirk on her lips, her body heat hot and welcoming against Miss Clayton’s quivering state.


	7. Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gardener may be staying at Bly Primary longer than expected. Woken up by painful cold, Miss Clayton finds her way into her neighbours flat.

This week, Miss Clayton has discovered something she’d rather have kept oblivious too – Jamie Taylor is almost as fond of plants as she is of women. Turns out, the neighbours idol green thumbs yearn to touch skin as well as leaves, and just like her well-rounded familiarity with nature, Jamie seems to be particularly popular with the ladies too.

First it was a long legged blonde smiling weakly at Dani Saturday morning as she crept out of Jamie’s sweet haven, then it was a curvaceous brunette staggering up the stairs alongside Jamie, waking Dani up at the devilish time of midnight, most recently, it had been a younger girl, similar to herself, that had awoken Dani from sweet dreams, screaming into the night air as Jamie performed diabolical acts on the other side of the bedroom wall – which confirmed the gardener’s suspicion, that the walls were indeed, very, thin. 

Miss Clayton’s stomach involuntarily flipped when she caught Jamie’s greenish orbs this morning, the way the gardeners fingers dug harshly into soil appeared to look far more erotic than it had the week before. A small grin tugged at the brunettes lips as they looked at one another through the glass of the classroom window, a friendly ambience in the subtle interaction that had mustered from their bonfire night escapades. 

Fireworks exploded in the sky once again when Jamie shot her an unexpected wink, the blonde diverted her gaze immediately, attempting to cover her reaction of a hot embarrassed blush. This is the first time the gardener has done anything with her eyes in Dani’s presence but blink or roll them, and the teacher couldn’t at all decipher whether she had enjoyed it or not. 

Needless to say, Dani struggled to focus on any of her teacher duties for the rest of the day. It was only until 3 o’clock, in the absence of children, that the teacher let her mind delve deeper into the connotations of her thoughts which were consumed by nothing but Jamie. The brunette, usually hostile and aggravated, seemed rather relaxed under the glare of the winter sun today, her mannerisms had a new found elegance to them that Dani had been previously heedless of. 

“Am I interrupting?” A sweet feminine voice calls, dragging Dani begrudgingly out of the peaceful depths of her mind. 

“Hannah,” Miss Clayton sighs, happy to see her friend for the first time today, “how may I help you?”

“Viola wants to see you,” the statement strikes overriding panic through the young woman’s body in an instant. 

The short walk from her classroom to the head teachers office gives Dani a few moments to compose her agitation, she can’t resist herself from analysing every movement she’s made since her last encounter with the headteacher, no reason for trouble crosses her worried mind. 

“You’re a hard woman to track down Miss Clayton,” Viola jokes, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk, beckoning Dani to sit, “been busy today?”

Paranoia consumes the American as she attempts to discover an agenda behind Viola’s questioning, “I suppose,” she smiles, a faux expression of tranquility that she desperately urges to cover any sense of discomfort. 

“How are you and Jamie getting along?” Here’s the catch, Dani thinks, of course there was a cynical reasoning behind Jamie’s wink from earlier on today. 

“Fine,” the single word lingers with confusion. 

“She hasn’t been any trouble as of late?” Viola sounds as if she’s interrogating the woman before her, unbeknownst to all the minuscule details of the young women’s relationship that exists primarily on awkward encounters and unconfirmed suspicions. 

“The kids liked her a lot when we went out to plant our tree,” she confesses, hoping her positive tone communicates pure honesty. 

“Have your met Gregory?” Once again, the headteacher’s questioning perplexes the women sat before her. 

“I can’t say I have,” furrowed brows ask for an elaboration. 

“Gregory is the school’s groundskeeper, he’ll be retiring at the end of the term,” Viola raises her brow bone suggestively, the puzzle pieces forming together as she continues, “I’ve been considering offering Jamie a full time position to replace him, I wanted to run it by you, your recent mishaps being my only doubt in hiring our infamous gardener.”

Dani chuckles, relaxes under the realisation that she is in fact in no trouble at all, “I think that’s a great idea. I mean, she’s not the most child friendly person I’ve ever met, but she does know her way around a flower,” the young blonde cringes, her lasting words sounding somewhat like a euphemism. 

At first, Miss Clayton had found comfort in anticipating Jamie’s departure after the winter term, their first few encounters suggesting the gardeners presence would be nothing but a nuisance, but now, as the young teacher finds her interests gravitating towards the brunette, the aspect of having her around permanently inflicts a bizarre excitement within Dani – alongside nerves, of course. 

Viola voices the decision isn’t final, instructs Miss Clayton not to mention the deliberation until further notice, and soon a spark of realisation corses its way to the front of the blonde’s mind – Viola has nothing to do with Jamie’s wink. 

A wink, a simple shutting of one eye, quick and unimportant - usually – but today, to Dani, the expression was monumental. The blonde racked her brain the entire journey home, burning heat travelling south of her body on numerous occasions as she tried to reason Jamie’s action, from teasing to flirting to unconstrained, the possibilities were distressingly endless, all thoughts inconclusive. 

Settling herself into bed for the night, Miss Clayton thanks Aphrodite for pulling Jamie away from her sexual desires this evening, for giving Jamie’s headboard a rest, a soft silence engulfed the women’s flat as she drifted off to sleep. 

-

Deprived from rest, shivering cold, Dani’s eyes scan to the ugly time of 5am displayed on her phone as she twists her duvet tightly around her quivering body. Iowa had its share of cold winters, but nothing like this, nothing painfully freezing enough to stir the blonde out of sleep and sting her limbs with spiteful intent. Surely this can’t be real, Bly can’t have frozen over night, yet the white glare of light reflecting off the streetlights outside her window almost blinds Dani with the realisation – it’s snowed. 

Snow, hopefully enough to close school for the day, the thought of having to drive through frozen country lanes makes the innocent American’s gut wrench. Pushing herself further down into the accumulation of pillows beneath her, Miss Clayton finds herself confirming every rumour of England’s harsh and rapid changing weather. Never had the woman felt so harrowingly cold. 

Reaching out to the radiator beside her bed, everything suddenly makes sense, not only have the unforgiving ancient walls of the pubs exterior caused low winter degrees to seep through the walls, but her boiler has given out too. 

“You’re kidding,” groaned into the air ruefully. 

Feet plod harshly across cold wooden floors, the door handle, thankfully, isn’t frozen in its place. Interrupting her landlord in the early hours of the morning isn’t something Dani would typically result to, but on this occasion, her toes getting more and more numb by the second, she had no choice but to complain and seek help from her neighbour. 

Joined by a neighbour in the corridor, though not the one she had been anticipating, Miss Clayton’s ambitious knocking is answered. 

“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” Jamie teases, leaning causally against her doorframe, her relaxed demeanour telling Dani that her boiler is working just fine. 

“My heating is off,” Dani grunts back, still finding the entirety of her body to be discomforted by the unexpected cold. 

This morning, the gardener proves that she is just as unpredictable as British weather, standing to one side and inviting the blonde in, “you’ll freeze over if you stay out here much longer.” 

“Thanks,” Dani responds gratefully, the slender body of the gardener brushing against her hip as they both are pleasantly hit by the warmth of a living room. 

Jamie’s place looks exactly how Dani remembers it being a few weeks ago, plants lingering in every vacant spot, couch vintage and leather, coffee table decorated with cigarette trays, books, remote controls. The abundance of empty beer cans stuffed in the kitchen bin, however, is worryingly unfamiliar. The blonde doesn’t let her eyes linger there too long, desperate for warmth, knowing any mention of alcoholism will have her kicked out of the door in an instant. Instead, she slumps onto Jamie’s arm chair comfortably, remising on the night she’d spent sleeping in it. 

“Tea? Coffee?” Jamie offers, blanket in hand as she notices her neighbours consistent shivers. 

“Coffee, please,” Dani smiles, taking the brown woollen material, “and thanks.” 

An incoherent noise sounds from a distance, cheeks are invaded with a sharp twinge as Dani timidly asks, “are you alone?”

Turning slightly from her position in front of the kettle, Jamie’s brow bone quirks up with confusion, “yes, why?”

“You’ve had a lot of guests lately,” instinctively the blonde chuckles out this retaliation, but soon a new sense of fear and unease seeps into her warming bones as she realises she may have crossed a line.

“I meant to apologise to you about that actually, not used to having someone on the other side of the wall,” the gardener chuckles, her confession both relaxing and tormenting her guest. 

Images of Jamie with other women burn unwarned in Dani’s tired mind, erratic responses of arousal, then shame, then jealously, before the blonde manages to shake her head away from such intimate thoughts. Eyes then fall to the back of Jamie, her body visible through the open plan layout of the flat, slender legs are hugged and complimented by tight Pyjama pants, for a moment Miss Clayton wonders what she wears to bed in the summer months. 

“Sugar?” Jamie calls, distracting Dani away from lingering imagination. 

“Just one, please,” soon there’s a hot mug of caffeine nestled between her palms, increasing her already growing warmth. 

“He stays at his girlfriends a few nights a week,” Jamie speaks into the opaque silent air, “maybe give him a call at a more sensible hour?”

Miss Clayton’s discombobulated brain takes a moment to understand what her neighbour is talking about – their landlord, right, she had woken up Jamie with her urgent knocking at 5am, “I’m sorry, I woke you up.”

“You didn’t,” Jamie pauses to sip at her own cup of coffee before continuing, “Owen called me, a few of the guys are going out to grit the lanes, council do fuck all for small towns like Bly.”

“Do you think the school will be open?” Dani questions, undertones of resentment present in her soft voice. 

“Nah, Viola’ll give the kids a snow day, always does,” Jamie’s information settles her neighbour dramatically, a pleasant grin on her face as she watches Dani’s muscles rest. 

Silence can be deafening when you’re staring into the familiar orbs of a woman you can’t help but desire. Despite all her horrid attributes, the way profanities fall from her mouth like nothing, how she doesn’t seem to grasp how much sarcasm is too much to bare, her tendency to push away anybody that tries to look out for her, Miss Clayton can’t help but see through it all and be consumed by Jamie’s undoubtable charm. 

Lips curl up evenly in a cunning grin, an expression that can make Dani both weak at the knees and red in the face, is given to her whilst she sits comfortably in her neighbours apartment, gripping painfully tight to a china mug, the sun still asleep in the quaint cold town of Bly. 

“You’re fiancé usually the one to look after things then?” Here it is, the teasing, the tormenting mind of Jamie Taylor, trying its best to push Dani Clayton as far as she can go.

A nonchalant nod is her response, the blonde despises how it doesn’t seem to be enough for her frenemy.

“A little birdie told me you’ve switched to play for my team,” a joke, a horrid manipulative joke that has completely ruined this neighbourly gesture and turned the morning’s conversation into a spiteful interrogation. Jamie has her putty in her hands, needing her, playing a cruel attempt at company. Mentioning the one thing Miss Clayton can’t bare to discuss – especially with the gardener.

“Why do you have to do that?” Dani bites back, her voice smothered in irritation and bewilderment.

“Do what?” The brunette feigns confusion, head tipped to one side with curiosity as she takes in the other woman’s discomposure. 

“Ruin things,” Dani states simply, “everything was fine and then you go and make things uncomfortable.”

“I like seeing you squirm, Poppins,” Jamie laughs, a chuckle that gives her the appearance of a cartoon villain. It would be ugly, if she wasn’t so charming. 

Dani gulps, a hard provoked rush of liquid hitting every inch of her dry throat whilst she clutches to sanity, anything to lighten the deep red fire she can feel burning in the hollow pit of her stomach. The gardener is looking at her with unrelenting amusement, watches Dani’s eyes bulge wide open once the blonde gets a peak at a dark red mark on the skin of Jamie’s neck. 

“Cat got ya tongue?” There’s that laugh again, mean and rude and mocking, ever so cocky that Miss Clayton must relish in a long blink that hides the woman from her vision entirely. 

Eyes open back up again and Dani doesn’t know whether she’s hallucinating or not, but Jamie is closing nearer to her, hot breath blowing stray strands of blonde hair as the landmarks of the brunette’s face become clearer and increasingly defined. Miss Clayton’s gaze falls to wetted lips, still decorated with a distasteful grin, one that is close enough now for her to kiss right off, hard and angry, she imagines built up emotion pushing tongues together as the two women burn themselves into the sunrise. She blinks again.

Inches, only inches remain between the curves of their cold tipped noses, Dani can smell the mix of coffee and cigarettes on Jamie’s breath, all her presumptions dispersing as she finds herself enjoying the customised scent. It’s too much to look back into her eyes, to register the way the brunette is crouching in front of her, their heads levelled as the blonde grips firmly to the armchair, fingernails creating half-moon imprints as her grip tightens by the second. So Miss Clayton must result to closing her eyes completely, escaping into herself as she resists all urges to plummet forwards and discover the mysterious touch of another woman. 

“I’ve seen the way you look at me,” Jamie breathes out, voice low enough not to disturb the intensity of the moment, “tell me to stop and I’ll stop,” whispered against the blonde’s plump lips as she gravitates nearer.

Dani doesn’t say anything, can’t fathom how she once was so able to spur out coherent words. Managing to peel open her eyes, the view of the gardener in front of her, their faces separated only by mere centimetres now, allows the blonde to decide she doesn’t at all want her to stop. Daring to find Jamie’s eyes, the young teacher immediately falls into their green abyss, their colouring deeper and darker than they were previously, she’s definite her own gaze reflects a coating of arousal too. 

“Dani, do you want me to stop?” Jamie asks again, closing the space between them and letting her forehead rest against the blonde’s. It’s impeccably entrancing how her voice seems to remain so considerate whilst also sounding so sharp, rushed, dominant. 

The blonde can only delicately shake her head, communicate her desires as she pushes her brow bone further into Jamie’s, causing their heads to tip downwards, lips brushing against one another’s in the lightest of kisses. Softness be damned, all delicacy unnecessary and disregarded when the gardener pushes Dani back further into the chair, her hungry lips devouring the innocent taste of the blonde. Satisfied lustful groans and sweet hot breaths push through their hard embrace, Jamie slips her tongue to the parting of Dani’s lips, is granted access immediately, eager hands pulling closer, desperate to feel feel feel. 

Travelling hands are curious to feel the curves of muscular biceps, Jamie winces slightly as Dani digs her calluses into the hard skin of her arms. Now straddling the young teacher, the gardener can feel the rhythmic upward thrusts of hips, desperate for friction, for her touch. Pressing herself down onto the blonde, Jamie is thanked with a grateful pine, wanton and adventurous, the activity a welcome exploration as Dani licks behind the gardeners teeth. 

Soon enough, Miss Clayton is gasping for air, pulling away with reluctance and ensuring her clasp on Jamie’s forearms stays sure and steady, keeping her in place. Characteristically, the gardener laughs, it’s still teasing and infuriating, but now it’s more, it’s everything, sexy and gorgeous and wonderful. Never has a kiss felt so passionate, so greedy and desperate, so right. Kissing men was always a chore, an uncomfortable lip-lock that would never fail to make Dani squirm, kissing Jamie was nothing of the sort, a stark contrast of pleasantry that was smothered in wavering emotions that Miss Clayton had never had the luck of experiencing, until now.

It can’t help but be hurried, the action of pushing lips and bodies back together, irresistible warmth invading every part of the blonde’s existence. Jamie is an expert of pleasure, a maestro of tactical movement, each of her touches perfectly executed, engulfing Dani in delight. Anger is present, frustration is too, yet both emotions are overridden by a sense of recklessness that’s communicated by breathless moans and grateful teeth-clanging smiles. 

A need for oxygen is the only reason for their departure, erratic breaths push up against each of their reddened faces, a perfect combination of themselves smelling and tasting of all things delicious. With an intake of fresh air, comes a wash of reality, of panic, of dread. Miss Clayton can still feel the weight of a muscular tender body pressed on top of her, yet the burden of tomorrow teases away her contentment, tells her that it’s all downhill from here. 

The Jamie Taylor she knows is anything but considerate, the antithesis of a kind women you’d trust to take you to bed for the first time, the gardener is mean and insensitive and rude. How has such a perfectly passionate emotive kiss inflicted such terror – Dani did not know, but the gardener’s presence lingers, on the other side of her bedroom wall, in the small surface area of Bly, amongst young children in classrooms. 

There is no getting away from this feeling, this desperation. Most definitely, there is no way of getting away from Jamie Taylor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooo what’s gonna happen now?


	8. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie Taylor is complexed. Dani Clayton has ruined the young gardeners content little life. No heating, and now no power. The girls are stuck together, in the presence of knowing friends. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter is kinda just a filler from the last one to the next. We learn a bit more about Jamie during the aftermath of the kiss, there’s a lot of foreshadowing of their soon to be closeness. 
> 
> Hope you’re still enjoying !   
> Interactions are much appreciated :)

Jamie Taylor sees herself only as a byproduct of neglect and manipulation. After surviving through a childhood overwhelmed with motherly abandonment, and an adolescence overflowing with hard metal bars punishing her youthful naivety, the gardener has been moulded into a woman as broken as her scarred skin. Everything reminding her of all misfortunes, forever in her mind, and on her shoulder.

Alike the fragmentation of skin spread across her back, Jamie can heal, no matter how adamant she is to deny it. Knowledge of heartache will remain, as so does the visible scar, but one day, somehow, she can learn to live with it, leave it be, embrace her growth. The young gardener doesn’t know it yet, but the preppy annoyance of a woman that forms to be Miss Clayton, of all people, can help her do so.

When you’ve been hit back so many times, you eventually start to show cracks. Jamie, evidently, has quite a collection. To name a few - a sarcastic quip here and there, a distaste for anything she’s not accustomed to, a tendency to neglect taking care of herself, and an unfortunate addiction, luring her to solve all problems with the shape of a bottle, or a can, or whatever is in reach in a time of need. Alcohol is a temporary remedy, a bandage to cover said exposed cracks, until the cut is long away. The size of Jamie’s hypothetical ‘cut’, however, is omnipresent – a damage sewn into her existence, a hurt that she has not yet figured out how to contain. Drinking – that contains the pain – for a night or so, pushes it away, until it’s crawling back out again.

Dani had, in simple terms, run away. Once their lips were disconnected, the heat of arousal subsided to thick humid air, and realisation had engulfed the young blonde, fear and regret suffocating her. A mutter of “I have to go” left Jamie stood bewildered in the living room, watching on helplessly as her neighbour returned home to an ice cold flat, one she had been desperate to escape from only hours ago. 

To Jamie, the sudden hostility was almost as unexpected as the intensity of the kiss itself. Dani had clung to her, received and reciprocated the embrace in tenfolds, welcoming and hungry, enjoying it, in ways overtly unexpected by the brunette. Something had quite obviously gone on in that little American mind after they had pulled apart, something which warned Dani away, urged her to stop before contact went too far and reached a point of no return. 

Maybe it wasn’t the best decision, Jamie thinks, to kiss her next door neighbour, the same woman whom she works with, sees every day without a doubt. Yet, in the moment, she just couldn’t restrict herself to pull away from the desperate want to feel Dani’s touch. Jamie wanted so deeply to satisfy them both with contact they had been passively yearning for for months, a monumental moment in which Miss Clayton has been previously deprived of. 

“What took you so long?” Owen interrogates, arm outstretched offering Jamie a shovel. 

Booted up feet buried inches deep in snow, Jamie’s eyes wander to the half dozen men digging pathways and gritting roads, determined and content in their small-town duties, “fucking council are useless,” she grunts in response, taking the tool from her friend and immediately getting to work. 

“What’s going on?” The moustached man questions with concern, a fatherly tone coating his voice as his worry grows for the troublesome gardener. 

“Weird morning,” is all she huffs in a harsh breath before skilfully digging into ice white weather, throwing heaps of snow out of the way in micro aggressions. 

“How so?” Owens accumulating questions are bothering the young brunette immensely, this time she does not answer, only busies herself with helping a petite gentleman who would be much better suite inside making tea than haphazardly shovelling snow. 

Amongst the people around her stands the pubs landlord, and for a long second Jamie ponders on whether or not she should mention a certain someone’s boiler troubles. Images of Dani sat frozen in place saddens the gardener somewhat, “oi,” she calls out, gripping his attention, “Dani’s heatings fucked.”

The older gentlemen raises his brows, seemingly unfazed by the revelation, “I’ll sort it,” he groans. 

“She got anything to do with your weird morning?” Owen presses. 

Jamie rolls her eyes, “don’t be annoying about this,” spat out in a spiteful warning accompanied with a glare of annoyance. 

Owen agrees with a heavy nod bobbing his head up and down. Anticipation settles in his eyes, two shining orbs reflecting the glowing whiteness of the ground beneath them.

“Kissed her,” she confesses in a voice small and nonchalant.

The chef was not at all anticipating such news, he chuckles out his surprise momentarily, and composes his amusement before it’s too late, “she kiss you back?”

“Yes,” Jamie retorts, somewhat insulted by his assumption that the embrace was badly received, “until.”

“Until?”

“She just left, all hot and bothered, walked out the door and went back home to freeze.”

“Did you brush your teeth first?” Owen teases, yet his words are cut short with an agonising whack to his upper arm, he curses, then a look of sympathy settles across his brow bone once his eyes have locked with the gardener’s. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” Jamie warns, “am a grown woman.”

-

People ache for control - that’s one thing Dani is sure of. Her mother had ached to control her daughter, Eddie had an ache to control the wife he had long dreamt of, and Dani had yearned for control so deeply that to clasp onto it she had moved oceans away from home. 

It didn’t take a genius to notice that Jamie ached to control everything. 

From the very first moment the young blonde had set eyes on the gardener, it had been abundantly obvious how settled Jamie Taylor is in her ways. The garden was to look exactly as planned, life was to run as smoothly as possible, and her heart was to stay caged away in the shelter she had crafted for it – for reasons, to Dani, unbeknownst. 

For a moment, a split-second in time, Jamie had dissolved this morning. Dissolved into Dani’s kiss, into the way the blonde miraculously screamed a silent chant of everything ‘safe’, a concept exceedingly unfamiliar to the brunette. Jamie Taylor let Dani Clayton control the kiss, and for that sweet fraction of time, with lips dancing together in beautiful spontaneity, Dani had managed to peak behind the dense unbreakable wall Jamie has built around herself. 

“What just happened,” the blonde asks, eyes fixed onto her own familiar features through the mirror, “what the fuck just happened.” 

They were kissing and it was beautiful. It was everything Miss Clayton has ever imagined – more, somehow. Feelings ignited within her that were painfully foreign, and the newfound dull ache between her legs was something she longed to feel again. Addictive, ironically, is what Jamie Taylor is. Disregarding all her bad traits, her undoubtedly annoying habits, Dani is slowly becoming addicted to the gardeners presence, addicted to the aspect of finding, feeling, more. 

They were kissing and it was terrifying. A terrifying mistake. Jamie Taylor is precisely someone whom Dani Clayton has no reason to desire. The gardener is a bitch – a simple statement Dani has reiterated to herself an endless amount of times. Yet, for undisclosed reasons, the blonde cannot possibly stop herself from this burning, torturous, inclination. 

Pushing Jamie away was both the best and worst decision she could’ve made. Stopping the long-awaited embrace caused Dani to cuss her own vulnerability, however, the loitering voices in her mind reassured her that, Jamie is someone most definitely inaccessible.

Emotion and meaning and more – things Dani willingly orbits around in her sporadic young life, things Jamie Taylor exhibits with upmost distaste. Emotions correlating to Jamie are rude and cruel and spiteful, the meanings of Jamie’s antagonising is wholly toxic, but for all her troubles, the gardener is more. More than anything Dani has ever perceived. 

Miss Clayton wants Jamie, more and more, more than anything else.

-

“You told her?” Jamie grunts, eyeing up Owen who is stood beside Hannah, both are wearing blatantly guilty expressions, “seriously, I was in the loo for like two seconds.”

“So Dani just left?” Hannah interrogates, brows quirked up as if their movement would encourage Jamie to converse maturely. 

“You’re acting like I’ve been rejected,” she scoffs, cold fingers running through brown curls, “honestly it’s fine, was just weird. Really weird.”

“I thought you hated her,” the words escape from under a thick moustache, confused and analytic. 

“I do,” Jamie confesses, “god I don’t know, it just happened okay? Drop it.”

The gardener knows her friends inside out, has spent a whole century learning each of their quirks, understanding their intricately designed personalities. She is certain, has no doubt about it, that they will definitely not be dropping this. 

Hannah is a woman of few words. Yet, when words do choose to escape from her mouth, they are communicated with upmost intelligence, care, and wisdom. The older lady’s friendship with Jamie was unforeseen, and the gardener has never been in the presence of someone so excepting. In ways, Hannah Grose is the mother Jamie never had. 

In contrast, Owen doesn’t ever stop talking, not even when his mouth is stuffed with food. Hannah has picked him up on that habit since the moment she met him. The chef is a strange man, one filled with puns and jokes, one to make light of any situation. His positivity radiates far enough to meet Jamie, maybe the most pessimistic being on earth, and that really shows something for his demeanour. Most of the time, Jamie can’t stand to be in his company, but that’s exactly how brotherly friendships come to be. He’s teasing and bothersome and at times rather mean, whilst also managing to show compassionate care when his friends are in need. 

Jamie credits herself for finding such perfect acquaintances. A perfect balance of personalities surround her, accommodate her in ways she hadn’t experienced since arriving in Bly. Dani Clayton has thrown that away, messed up the gardeners contentment. Jamie resents her for that, doesn’t yet realise that the change that Dani has brung with her across the pond is everything she needs. 

“Jamie!” Owen yells, vibrating Jamie out of her snow day dream, “do you want a cuppa or not?”

A stupid question, “yeah yeah,” the gardener doesn’t remember the last time she’d turned down a cup of tea. 

Hot beverage nestled between her hands, warmth entering her cold phalanges, Jamie settles herself into the pleasant buzz of familiar voices. Her senses are on overload, always are when in the comfort of Owens home, smells of home-cooked meals coat her nostrils, sounds of heavy laughter invade her eardrums. Suddenly, an unexpected darkness blurs her vision. 

“Oh for goodness sake,” Hannah groans, “a power cut is all we need.”

The realisation hits Jamie hard and fast – Dani is alone, with no heating, and now without power too. Somehow the winter sun is already setting, and darkness greets the quiet country town, the gardeners heart aches with guilt as she thinks back to her neighbour. Why she cares so much - she’d rather avoid mustering an answer for, not much thought goes into her next few words.

“Should we go get Dani?” An uncomfortable cough discreetly covers her concern, “I mean, she’s alone and all.”

Owen scoffs, “god she’s really got in your head mate,” Hannah chuckles alongside him, “but yeah we better, I’ll give ‘er a ring.”

With that, the man is disappearing into the darkened corridor. The lack of light fails to hide Hannah’s knowing stare. 

“What now?” Jamie whispers, annoyed, reluctant to speak much more of the blonde. 

“It’s nice of you to think of her,” Hannah hums, leaving her words short and simple, coating her tone in a way to let on that she definitely means to say much more. 

-

A flustered phone call from Owen interrupts Dani’s panicked thoughts. Not only now does her brain sting with the presence of Jamie and the absence of heat, but a lack of power now worries her increasingly too. Luckily, her friends soothing voice calms her out of distress, and soon she’s tugging on her biggest winter boots and carefully stepping down the stairs of the pub. 

Owen waits with an accommodating smile displayed under his moustache, the expression is frosted over slightly by the condensation of the car window. 

“Thanks for coming to get me,” a high-pitched American voice sighs, warm and grateful as Dani fumbles for a seatbelt. 

“Jamie mentioned your heating is off,” Owen soon realises his words may connote he knows much more, “there’s a wood fire at mine,” he finishes in a hurry. 

“Right,” the young blonde mutters, cheeks blushed pink despite the tingling cold. 

The drive to Owen’s is much smoother and quicker than Dani had anticipated and hoped. A long drive would do her good, would dissolve all her discomposure, and prepare her to be amongst the tempting lips and gorgeous brown curls of Jamie Taylor. 

On the bright side, at least the roads were gritted, so thankfully potential for a car wreck is as at bay. Though, the lengths Dani would go to to avoid the gardener are growing more and more cynical by the minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s gonna happen at Owens? Place your bets in the comments!


End file.
